Strangers like me
by AiraSora
Summary: Instead of moving to Hillwood with their son, Miles and Stella decided to stay in San Lorenzo, letting him grow up among the Green-Eyed people. Arnold's life in the jungle was peaceful until the day he joined his parents in chasing poachers away from the jungle which led to his own capture. Soon Arnold found himself in a different kind of jungle; the city where his parents grew up.
1. A very different kind

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **Summary:** _ **Instead of moving to Hillwood with their son, Miles and Stella decided to stay in San Lorenzo, letting him grow up among the Green-Eyed people. Arnold's life in the jungle was peaceful until the day he joined his parents in chasing poachers away from the jungle which led to his own capture. Soon Arnold found himself in a different kind of jungle; the city where his parents grew up.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I have looked forward to starting this story ever since I got the idea, which is more than a half year ago to be perfectly honest. I wasn't sure if I had enough material for it and this story probably won't be extremely long or anything, but I will shove as much as I can into it. I think this is going to be a lot of fun to write.**

 **Now, there's several other stories that has inspired me to write this one. The first one is absolutely the Danish cartoon movie called "Jungledyret Hugo" which you may or may not know as "Go, Hugo, go!" which is the sucky English translation of the movie. And I am allowed to call it sucky because it really did truly** _ **suck**_ **. The story was changed, a million scenes were either cut or "censored" (God forbid American kids see an animated villainess in a thong – this is why I love Denmark, we show it to kids as it is :P) and the characters' personalities were changed beyond recognition. I** _ **hated**_ **the English version with a burning passion so unless you've watched the Danish version with English subtitles (which is on ) then you are not allowed to say that you hated it :P**

 **Besides Hugo, this story will also have some aspects of "Tarzan" in it (who has of course also inspired the title), along with "The Jungle Book" and other stories that resemble those. It's still of course my own story, but I might as well admit which stories have inspired me to write this to begin with. Well! Enough with the ranting, please do enjoy the very first chapter of "Strangers like me".**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 1: "A very different kind"

"Hey, Arnold!"

A young blonde man turned his eyes away from the bird in his hands and looked towards his mother's voice. Stella was smiling at him with pride as she tied her chin-long, brown hair into a bun to get it away from her sweat-coated skin. Despite wearing only a green tank top and a pair of khaki shorts, the south American heat was still getting to her even if it was winter. The brown boots she was wearing in order to tread around carefully in the forested valley didn't help.

"What do you have there, son?" Stella asked as she approached him and crouched next to the bird. "It's a Blue Dacnis." She answered her own question. "What happened to it?"

"I'm not sure," Arnold answered with a worried frown. "but it won't fly."

"Oh, then let me take care of the poor thing. You need to go see Tanana."

Arnold's eyes widened as his mother took the bird from him. "What does the shaman want with me?" he asked as he ran his fingers through his blonde hair to get it out of his eyes.

"Go and find out." Stella ordered and waved at him. Arnold stood up and jogged towards the village.

On his way, Arnold was greeted by every villager he came across. Some said his name kindly, others bowed their heads and there were also those who smiled in admiration. Arnold responded the same way to all of them; saying their name with a broad smile on his face and waving at them. Every villager, no matter their greeting, had one thing in common; their characteristically green eyes. Unlike most tribes where the norm was dark skin, black hair and brown eyes, the Green-Eyed People differed. It made them look mysterious in ways that made the civilized world curious about them, but they had managed to stay hidden since the dawn of time. It was only Arnold and his parents they trusted from the white folk.

As he neared the shaman's temple, Arnold almost walked past the shrine. He stopped and basked in it for a moment. He remembered being told from a very young age that not only was he a miracle child, but was divine to the Green Eyes. When he was born in the volcanic mountains of San Lorenzo, the whole jungle silenced at his first scream. It was a sign to the Green-Eyed People that Arnold was sent to them by the gods to live among them as a counselor and a guide. The volcano eruption that had been prophesized to kill them all died at his birth and had been silent ever since. The shrine was a statue surrounded by fresh flowers and ceremonial symbols made of gold. The statue had an oblong-shaped head and green emeralds for eyes. It was a tribute to Arnold, but no matter how many times he looked at it, he would always feel shy and humble in its adulation.

Arnold moved towards the shaman's tent and walked inside without a word. An elderly woman, he had talked to only a few times during his 16 years of living, was sitting on the ground in front of a basket. She had her eyes closed, was sitting crisscross and the back of her hands were resting on her knees. Her arms were covered in pieces of leather, her neck was adorned with colorful pearls and white feathers. She was wearing a long, big brown skirt which was decorated with small leather pouches around her hips. What she had in them, Arnold didn't know, but it could be anything from totems to bones. In silence, he sat down across the cauldron and copied the shaman's position. With every purposeful breath he took, he felt his mind go blank, which was something he had trouble with growing up since he was a natural daydreamer like his father.

"You have come here to be warned, Arnold." Tanana spoke calmly and Arnold finally dared to open his eyes.

"Warned?" the young man repeated fearfully. He hadn't been called to see the shaman many times, but when it happened it would always be good news. She had never cautioned him before and the village had been safe and sound for as long as he could remember.

"A dark shadow is lurking over our village." Tanana said deadly seriously. "You must be courageous and find your way back."

"My way back? To what?" Arnold asked even though he knew the shaman never answered questions, she only inspired them.

"Remember where you belong, child, and don't lose sight of it." Tanana continued and took a Green-Eyed amulet out of one of the basket. It was made of gold shaped much like his own head and had an emerald in the middle. Arnold bowed his head as Tanana placed it around his neck. "You will experience new things, gain knowledge you never thought possible and you will be met with a heartbreaking decision… but you _must_ return to the path The Great Spirits have chosen for you."

"Where am I going?" Arnold asked again and held the amulet in his hands, gazing at it. He had adored the amulets that had been bestowed upon his parents years before he was born when they saved the Green Eyes from the deadly sleeping sickness. He had always wondered why he had never received one himself, but was explained that he was too divine a creature to the Green Eyes to walk around, wearing a mortal jewelry. He wondered why he was receiving one now of all times, it frightened him.

Tanana put her hands on Arnold's shoulders which caused him to flinch and look back up at her. "Return to where you belong." She said very seriously before he face broke into a smile and she patted his shoulders. "Now off you go!"

Arnold opened his mouth to question the shaman further, but former experiences in denying her orders caused him to sigh in surrender and leave the tent. Once he was outside, he looked at the amulet again. He wondered what he was supposed to return to. He had always been in the mountains of San Lorenzo, where could he possibly need to return to? Unless he would leave this place first and had to return then. Why would he need to leave San Lorenzo to begin with? His whole life was here, so were his parents'. He didn't understand what the shaman had warned him about so when his mother asked him what the shaman wanted, he explained that he didn't understand. Stella, who was a smart woman, would usually have wondered about it for hours until she came to the conclusion, but she didn't have the time that day. Neither did Arnold so soon the shaman's incomprehensible warning was forgotten.

* * *

Arnold was currently staring at the Green Eyes' amulet again as he was sitting on a rock a little away from the village. He was sitting near a waterfall and while it may be a noisy place, this was where he went to relax and think. The sound of the water felt tranquil to him. He finally had the time to think about what the shaman woman had told him, but he couldn't figure out what to do about it. He wasn't unintelligent, but he wasn't very good with reading between the lines or reading people. He preferred when people told him things clearly and Tanana wasn't a woman of clear intentions.

Arnold was considering jumping into the water when he heard some squawking from the sky. He leaned his head backwards and saw a flock of birds flying across the sky, their wings flapping in panic. He looked towards the direction they were flying away from before he heard a loud gunshot. He put his hands to his ears and squeezed his eyes in shock, but opened them again just in time to see some men up on the waterfall. Even though they were far away, Arnold could see that they were the ones with the riffles and were currently chasing a jaguar.

Arnold's eyes widened. "Poachers." He whispered through parted lips before he turned around and bolted straight back towards the village. He reached his parents in no time at all, his many years of running around in the jungle would do wonders to anyone, and they heard him almost instantly. "Poachers!"

Miles and Stella acted instantly; they left whatever they were doing and went to the tent. Arnold followed them, listening to their intense babbling about the strategy to get the poachers out of San Lorenzo without harming them or leading them to the Green Eyes. They had dealt with poachers before, but they weren't a common sight so close to the village. Arnold stood idly by, but looked towards a knife of his own. In determination, he grabbed it and looked resolutely at this parents.

"Arnold, no." Miles stated without second thought.

"I'm not asking." Arnold declared and shoved the knife into his belt. "I can't sit here and do nothing again."

"No, we can't put you in so much danger - - "

"Miles." Stella said gently and put her hand on her husband's shoulder. Brown eyes gazed into brown eyes before Miles sighed. Stella patted his shoulder soothingly before she put it on Arnold's shoulder instead. "You are there as a backup, nothing more. You only appear if we need you."

A broad smile spread on Arnold's face unlike his parents' expressions. He knew they feared for their only son's life and he didn't want to make them worry unnecessarily so he would do as his mother had ordered and stay hidden unless something were to happen. But he had for many years longed to do something more for his village and the people he grew up among. They treated him as a God yet he had never done anything to deserve such kindness or adoration besides being his usual compassionate self. This was his chance to show them that he wanted to protect them, demigod or not.

Arnold followed his parents up the trail, using the gunshots as tracks. They climbed up next to the waterfall and reached the cliff right where the lake cascaded. Once the poachers were in sight, Miles hushed Arnold to make sure he remembered his role. Arnold nodded and stayed behind as Stella and Miles approached the men. Arnold was grinning in astonishment as his dad took out his whip and used it to get the riffle out of one of the men's grasps. In the confusion, Stella overpowered the other one and within seconds, they had the upper hand and the riffles were pointed at the poachers instead of the jaguar, who ran off during the chaos.

"We don't want poachers around here." Stella said sternly. "Hunting is forbidden."

"Leave and we will forget about this." Miles added.

"I don't think so." A new voice said and appeared from behind a tree to Arnold's right.

Arnold's eyes widened in realization when he remembered seeing _three_ poachers earlier. Where the third one had gone off to before they arrived didn't matter to him though when Stella and Miles were forced to drop the riffles. They put their hands up in the air and walked towards the edge of the cliff, guided by the riffles. When one of the poachers pushed at Miles with the riffle, Arnold almost jumped out of his hiding place, but reminded himself not to do anything drastic.

Arnold looked around him, observing his surroundings to figure out a plan. He looked at the tree the third poacher had appeared from. His eyes followed the trunk and up to the leaves and branches. Without a second though, he army-crawled through the bushes and started climbing up the tree.

It was Stella who noticed Arnold first and figured out what his plan was. "Why are you doing this?" she asked one of the poachers, hoping it would distract them long enough for Arnold to climb up the tree.

"Your little, spotted friends will pay us handsomely." The poacher answered with a dirty smirk on his face.

"And you two are in our way." Another poached added.

"Just calm down." Miles said when he noticed Arnold crawling on a branch above them. "I'm sure we can find a peaceful solution."

"Not a chance. It'll take us hours to track down another jaguar."

"Your mindless shooting is what scared them all of!" Stella shouted angrily just before Arnold lost his footing. He broke a small branch in the process of saving himself, but thanks to Stella's yelling it couldn't be heard.

"Shut up!" one of the poachers shouted, cocked his riffle and pointed it at Stella.

"Are you insane?!" one of the other poachers yelled in a panic, clearly uninterested in setting his morality even lower by killing not just animals, but people.

Before the first poacher could even consider shooting, Arnold jumped down from the tree. As soon as he had his arms around the poacher's throat, Stella and Miles took advantage of the confusion and went for the other poachers. The poacher was cursing and thrashing about and despite Arnold's strength, the man was much bigger than he was and had him thrown off within a minute. As soon as the riffle was turned on him, Arnold's parents seized their attack in fear for their son.

The poacher Arnold had attacked snickered maliciously. "Clever, I gotta say, using a little monkey as a hidden weapon, but you should have trained him harder before letting him play with the big boys." He said and the smile disappeared from his face. "Get up."

Arnold stood up and walked to his parents. "I'm so sorry."

"You did well, Arnold. This is not your fault." Miles insisted and grabbed his son's shoulder.

"No, it's your dumbass parents' fault for interfering." One of the poachers said and laughed with the others. "Now, what do we do with you?"

" _I'm_ not shooting them." The poacher who had shouted before declared. "I don't want human blood on my hands.

"You'd prefer we let them go and tell on us?!" the poacher next to him asked and the two began fighting while the third kept an eye on the family of two. Arnold looked fearfully at his parents just before he felt something poke his chest. He looked down and saw the tip of a riffle touch his amulet.

"Hey." The poacher said calmly to the others. When they continued fighting, he looked at them impatiently. "Hey!"

" _What_?!" the two men yelled in annoyance. The poacher gestured to Arnold's amulet with the riffle and his comrades looked at it curiously.

"What have we here?" one of them asked with a sleazy smile. You could practically see the dollar sign in his eyes. "Where the hell did a brat like you get this?"

"It looks like Aztec gold!" the other bellowed in awe. "It must be worth like a million."

Arnold had stopped breathing at this point; he knew how greedy people outside of San Lorenzo were. He didn't know much about money except that it was the poachers' goal by hunting and killing animals. He knew the Green Eyes' amulets were worth a lot of money, which was why Stella and Miles never wore the amulets if they were outside of the village. Arnold, having received this amulet only recently, hadn't thought of that before they left and was now cursing his own name.

"Hey, kid. Tell us where you got the gold and we'll let you all go." A poacher demanded.

The relief that washed over Arnold was short-lived. "What?" he muttered in disbelief. Telling the poachers where got the amulet would mean to lead them directly to the Green-Eyed People. It would put them all in fatal danger, but if he didn't it would mean putting his parents in danger. There had to be a third option, there just _had_ to be.

Then the sound of the waterfall behind Arnold caught his ears. An idea struck him, but it was a risky one in every aspect. He couldn't be sure what would happen if he were to act out on it, but it was all he could think of and he didn't have the time to hatch a safer plan. So while clutching the amulet in his hand, he turned around and jumped off the cliff.

The sound of his parents screaming his name faded into the roaring sound of the water rushing down. Arnold prayed for the Great Spirits to lead his parents to safety and kept the scream he so desperately wanted to make inside him. When he hit the water, it felt like colliding with rocks only to merge with them. Water filled his lungs and made them burn. He waved his arms around, desperate to get up and let his lungs breathe. He forced himself to calm down and move his arms more methodically. Soon, his head was above the surface and he inhaled sharply. He coughed as he was taken by the stream. He felt his foot hit something, which he assumed was a rock and he groaned at the intense shot of pain that soared through him. He ignored his instinct to nurse his ankle and looked towards the shore. He paddled with his arms, hissing whenever his left ankle moved even a bit.

Arnold dug his fingers into the ground and pulled himself out of the water. He tried keeping his damaged ankle off the ground, but the instant exhaustion he felt was so overpowering that he barely felt it when his entire body collapsed on the dirt.

* * *

Arnold wasn't sure what it was that woke him up, but he felt nauseatingly dizzy when he did. He tried speaking, but his throat felt as if it had been filled with sand and made even the thought of speaking hurt. He put his hands up on the ground and lifted his torso off it to look around. He was in an unknown part of the jungle and he wondered just how far the stream had taken him. He had never gone far away from the village, had never explored the jungle alone so it wasn't hard to understand why he felt so lost.

The unmistakable sound of a jaguar's roar echoed in the jungle and Arnold knew it was close by. He forced himself up on his feet, hissed at the pain in his ankle and then jogged through the jungle, careful not to put too much pressure on his left foot. Soon he was face to face with a jaguar with its paw in a leghold trap and Arnold forgot about his own pain the instance he saw it.

"Poor creature…" he whispered to himself before approaching it. As soon as he was near it, he heard a sound that was close by. Before he could react, he felt something around his right ankle pull at him. His head hit the ground before he was pulled upwards and bounced awkwardly in an upside-down position. The jaguar was sneering at him in fear, but clearly didn't see him as an actual threat in his current position. "Damn!"

Arnold reached for his knife, but it wasn't in his belt and he cursed again as he looked around for it. Deciding he must have lost it in the water and not when he was caught by the trap, he started swinging forwards and backwards in order to get himself up and hopefully break the knot somehow. When he got too close for comfort to the jaguar though, he decided to give up on that plan.

"Don't worry," Arnold said though he wasn't sure if he was talking to the jaguar or to himself. "we'll get out… I just don't know how yet."

Some happy yelling caught Arnold's ears and he twisted his body around to look towards it. Some men were approaching him and he quickly stuffed his amulet into his breast pocket and prayed that the button would hold it in place so he wouldn't lose that like he lost his knife. The men that appeared were dressed the same as the poachers from before, but they were different men. Arnold assumed they were comrades one way or another though.

"Well, lookie here!" one of them men said when he saw Arnold dangling from the trap. "You're a funny-looking jaguar, ain't ya'?"

"Sir, that is not a jaguar."

"I know that, you fool!" the man said and slapped the much younger man at the back of his head. "I was being facetious."

"We've got ourselves a real fine jaguar here though." Another man said, poked the jaguar and laughed when it hissed at him.

"Leave it alone!" Arnold shouted before he could stop himself.

"Well, what do you know? The boy speaks English." A fourth poacher said and approached Arnold. "Well, he's also blonde now that I look at him. Where are you from?"

Arnold held his tongue at that question. "Answer him, boy." He was told before a knife was put at his throat. Arnold stayed quiet though before he grabbed the knife and cut the man's hand before he could get away fast enough. "You insolent, little - - "

Arnold was shouting as the men got him down from the trap, but he was soon tied up by his hands. He thrashed about, but the binds were tight and he was thrown over the shoulder of the biggest man before he could do anything about it. He wiggled around and started shouting for his parents when the panic consumed him, but the jungle only gave him silence in return. As they walked for what felt like hours, he could feel the tears stream over his temples and he saw them fall down the sand once they reached water. His frustration and sadness were replaced with confusion when he saw wood under him. He was put down on the floor and he had to blink his tears away as he took in his unfamiliar surroundings.

Because Arnold had never left the jungle, he had never seen anything besides the plants of the jungle and its animals. So he didn't know what the place he was at this very moment was a ship docked to the beach and he had no idea just how far away he was from the safety of the Green-Eyes' village. He looked around in absolute confusion and when he noticed the water below the ship, he wondered why they weren't sinking. That was all he got to wonder though before some iron bars in the floor was opened and he was thrown into what he would call a trapping pit. He groaned when he hit the hard floor and then the bars were closed on him, creating square shadows on his face as he looked at the sky.

The tears that had fallen down his temples earlier, now fell down Arnold's cheeks. He let his head fall down only for the rest of his body to follow it on the floor. He lied down awkwardly, with his hands tied behind his back and his face rubbing against the hard wooden floor. While he sobbed, he thought of what might have happened to his parents and whether they were safe. He wondered if they were searching the jungle for him and if they were as scared as he was that he would never return home. The exhaustion he had felt since getting out of the water consumed him again and he felt himself drift off to sleep with the sun still baking on his cheek.

* * *

"Hey… Hey, boy! Wake up!"

Arnold groaned at the sound of someone yelling above him. His entire body was sore and his ankle only felt worse. The voice kept calling for him though and he turned around on his back, opened his eyes and saw a figure behind the bars above him.

"Finally." The figure said in annoyance before they moved their hand into Arnold's vision and threw something down at him. Arnold gasped and managed to roll to the side before something clanked next to his head. "Roll a bit more."

Arnold obeyed the stranger and once he was out of the way, a knife fell down next to him. Arnold stared at the object in disbelief. Next to the knife was a bundle of keys, but Arnold didn't know that was what they were. All he saw was something silver. The figure above him started talking and he turned around to look up at them.

"In a few hours we'll dock at a place called Hillwood. Everyone will leave the ship and that's your chance to get out of here. Use the knife to cut the rope and the keys to get out of here."

"The keys?"

"Oh, right, you grew up in the jungle." The figure muttered to themselves. "Those things I threw down to you with the knife, those are called keys. You put one of them into the keyhole up here at the bars and then you turn it until the bars are unlocked."

"Unlocked?"

"One of those keys will open the bars and then you can get out of here."

"W-Wait! What do I do once I'm out of here?"

"You get as far away from the ships as possible so they can't find you!"

"But you said that we'll be in Hillwood. Where is that? H-How do I get back to San Lorenzo?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you there. I'm sure you can find someone in Hillwood who can help you, but be careful who you trust. People are always willing to take advantage of your ignorance."

"Ignorance?" Arnold repeated in confusion, but shook his head. "Why are you helping me?"

"One thing is to sell animals, I won't let them sell a human being."

"Sell…?" Arnold repeated in horror, but didn't get the chance to ask the figure anymore questions before they disappeared. He looked at the knife and rolled over until he could sit on his knees. He leaned backwards, grabbed the knife and twisted it in his hands until the sharp edge was against the rope. He hissed in pain when he on occasion cut his own skin, but after some struggle he finally had the rope cut open. He sighed in relief, dropped the knife and nursed his wrists. He ignored the blood as he took the knife and hid it in his pants. He then grabbed the keys and studied them. He observed every crook of them until he was sure he understood how they worked and then hid them in his breast pocket.

Arnold felt something hard against his hand and moved the amulet out of his pocket. He sighed in relief at the familiar sight and pressed it against his chest before he hid it in his breast pocket again. _A few hours_ , he reminded himself and lied back down on the rope so if anyone were to look down, they wouldn't see that he was free. He sighed as the waves from under the ship gently rocked him from side to side. He wasn't sure for how long he had been in this trap, but he knew that he was deadly thirsty and so hungry he'd consider eating almost anything. All he could do was hope that this Hillwood jungle would be an easy place to find food.

* * *

Like promised, a couple of hours later the moving of the ship halted. Arnold sat upwards almost instantly and listened to the voices above him. Once they were all faded in the distance, he pulled the keys out of his pocket. He bend his knees and then jumped until he reached the bars. After some very awkward fumbling, he managed to unlock the padlock. He let the keys fall to the floor and pushed at the bars until they smashed against the wood. Arnold had to jump up again, but his time in the jungle made him agile enough to do that with ease and pull himself up on the ship. He didn't take a moment to observe the ship for even a moment before he ran towards the edge of it and jumped off it and landed on some rocks.

It was only then that Arnold noticed a cold wind blowing on his face and he felt cold for the first time in his life. He shivered for a moment, but quickly started running away from the ship as the strange good Samaritan had advised. It didn't take long before his eyes betrayed him though and he had to stop to take in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was what looked like slow, white rain falling from the sky. A drop landed on his nose and he tried grabbing it, but it melted in his hand like regular water.

Arnold frowned at the dark sky, wondering what this white stuff was before he looked back at the ground and realized that it was filled with the white stuff. He touched it curiously, but pulled his hand back in shock when the coldness shot through him like electricity though both terms were unfamiliar to him. He thanked God that he was wearing boots though and wasn't walking around barefoot as he sometimes did in the jungle. He quickly buttoned the last two buttons on his shirt and he unfolded the sleeves to cover his arms up. Unfortunately he couldn't do much about his khaki shorts so he had to leave his legs bare except for the boots.

Arnold walked through the snow and noticed his footprints. He looked behind himself and watched in curiosity as he left his prints in the snow. His curiosity faded soon since he had naturally seen his own footprints before whenever he was treading mud in the jungle. His attention was led towards the buildings around him that caused him to lean backwards in awe. It looked like someone had taken all the mountains and decided to make them square, but there were holes in the mountains and you could look inside them. In some of them there were lights and others were completely black or covered by some sort of fabric.

As Arnold kept looking around, his eyes wide in wonder and fear, he felt that he was still in the jungle… but a very different kind.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: How many of you recognized Tanana's name? ;) It's the shaman's name from Brother Bear. Oh, and Arnold jumping off the cliff and into the waterfall was also inspired by the child's mother from "Ice age".**

 **So that was the end of the very first chapter of "Strangers like me"! I hope this story has caught your interest and that you will continue reading it. I'm definitely pumped for continuing this story so I hope others feel as excited as I do :D Until next time then!**


	2. You're still in the jungle

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **The shaman Tanana warned Arnold about the dangers that lied ahead, but her words had been mystifying and so Arnold didn't understood what to make of the warning. The amulet he had received though ended up putting himself and the entire village in danger when poachers caught sight of it. In an attempt to save the Green Eyes, Arnold jumped into the waterfall and out of the poachers' clutches.**_

 _ **Arnold's kindness put him in more trouble though when he tried to save a captured jaguar, which led to his own capture. A kind-hearted stranger saved him from being taken all the way to the poacher's destination on the ship and he ended in the city of Hillwood.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I don't know what to say for this author's note except I'm happy to see that people are already enjoying it :D**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 2: "You're still in the jungle"

"Hey, watch it!" a person behind Arnold said. He had been consumed by his surroundings and had accidentally bumped into someone.

"I-I'm sorry!" he said in a bit of a panic, but then stared at the person in shock. It was a tall man with a grey beard, but it was his clothes that caught Arnold's eyes. You couldn't see an ounce of skin on him safe for the one on his face. He was completely covered in clothes and when another gust of wind caught Arnold's hair, he figured out why this man was so covered up. "C-Could you tell me where I could get clothes like that?"

"In a shop, of course!" the man sneered and then eyed Arnold. "But I don't think you have the money for it."

With those words, the man left a confused Arnold behind. _I don't have the money to get clothes? So that's why poachers want money, to get enough clothes to live here?_ He wondered, but left that thought when he heard something loud behind him. When he turned around he saw what could only be described as one of the biggest, noisiest animals he had ever seen. It came running towards him while roaring and he jumped out of the way, falling into the snow in the process. After groaning from the pain in his ankle, Arnold wiped his face clean and saw that there was a hundred of those noisy animals going the same direction as the former, but there were also ones that went in the opposite path. Most were quiet, but some of them were roaring like the one before. They were in different shapes and colors and Arnold couldn't understand how light could be emitting from the eyes.

Arnold of course didn't know this, but what had almost run into him was a car; the closest a city like Hillwood would be to an actual animal unless you went to the zoo. Arnold stayed dutifully away from the path where the metallic animals seemed to stay. He still didn't feel safe so close to them though, but the other people walking around seemed completely indifferent to them so he figured he wasn't in any fatal danger. They seemed more focused on him and some sent him rather curious glares. He didn't get the feeling that any of them would be willing to help him or explain to him where he was or how he got home so he kept walking.

Arnold had never seen so many people in his life and he kept bumping into them and even though he apologized apologetically each time, most of them got angry with him almost instantly. This time though the person pushed back and he landed in the snow again.

"Watch where you're going, squirt!" the big guy said, who Arnold thought looked very young in comparison to the people he had seen so far. He was probably around the same age as himself. "What the fuck are you wearing?"

Arnold looked down at himself, thinking that he did indeed look very different from everyone else. "I-I need to get money so I can go to a shop and get clothes." He explained, hoping he had said it correctly.

"Are you _begging_?" one of the other guys asked in disbelief. Noticing the anger on his face when he asked that question, Arnold decided to shake his head.

"What the fuck is wrong with this guy, Wolfgang?" a third boy asked the one who had pushed Arnold.

"I don't know, but we don't want beggars around here." The guy named Wolfgang said and grabbed Arnold by his collar, yanking him up to his eyelevel.

"P-Please don't! I don't understand what I did to make you so angry!" Arnold said in a panic, wondering if he truly had to pull his knife out at this guy. He didn't want to make himself even more unpopular, but the look in the boy's eyes gave him the feeling that he was going to tear him apart like a carnivore did to its prey.

A roaring sound caught Arnold's ears, but it wasn't just him who heard it. Wolfgang kept holding his collar as he turned around towards the sound. A smaller animal than the ones Arnold had just become familiar with was soaring towards them at a much quicker speed akin to that of a jaguar. Wolfgang screamed in shock and threw Arnold away who landed in the snow again. The animal approached him and stopped right in front of him. He looked up and saw what he assumed was a human being, but the person was hidden behind a big, round hat that hid the entire head.

"Get on!" the person yelled in an angry, but feminine voice. Arnold contemplated the safety of jumping upon an animal with a stranger. She seemed to have control of the animal though and the alternative wasn't exactly tempting so with the speed of light, he jumped behind her and when she started the animal again, he shrieked and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'll get you for this, Helga!" Wolfgang shouted behind them, but Arnold didn't hear him. He was too focused on not falling off the motorcycle, which he still believed to be an animal with its own will, even when the girl turned a corner and they were officially alone.

Arnold was shaking when the girl turned around and pulled her helmet off. His shaking stopped instantly and he stared at her as if he had never seen anything like her before which wasn't far-fetched. He stayed shocked for an undefined amount of time and forever he would have her face etched in his memories. She had fair skin, much lighter than any skin he had ever seen before, but it looked healthy and rosy even. Her eyes were big and blue like the sky, a shade he had never seen in anyone's eyes before. Her hair was bright like the sun, cascading down her face, her throat and over her chest. Her hair resembled his own, but it looked out of the world to him.

"What the hell were you thinking?" the girl shouted in disbelief and Arnold was immediately pulled out of his own little dream world. "You don't mess with Wolfgang and his idiots! Anyone around here knows that, not even _I'm_ that stupid and I can kick their asses! Do you have a death wish or something?!"

With everything that had happened that day, you couldn't blame Arnold for starting to cry in this situation. The whole day had been one emotional rollercoaster ride; anger, confusion and helplessness consumed him once more and now that he was out of the face of danger, he let it all out in the tears that once again streamed down his cheeks. He was sobbing so much that he could hear it echo in the small alley the girl had taken them to, but he couldn't bring himself to stop.

"A-Are you crying?" the girl asked in disbelief and looked around uneasily. Arnold didn't answer, but he imagined that she didn't expect him to. She made the motorcycle go quiet and then sighed. "Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry so please stop, ok? I don't know what to do with crying people."

Arnold sniffed once more and dried his eyes before they would turn to ice on his cheeks. "I-I'm sorry… I've just… I've had a horrible day."

"That's no excuse to start seeking out assholes like Wolfgang." The girl said and sighed once more. Arnold briefly wondered what an asshole was, but decided against asking. This girl had just saved him once and she was already annoyed with him for crying. "Look, let me take you home, ok?"

Arnold's head whipped up in shock which caused the girl to flinch. "Really?" he asked in pure ecstasy.

The girl smiled awkwardly. "That sure cheered you up. So, where to?" she asked and was about to put her helmet back on until Arnold answered. "San Lorenzo?" she repeated in confusion and put her helmet back on her lap. "Don't you live here in Hillwood?"

Arnold shook his head. "I only just got here, but I want to go home… Please."

The girl snickered incredulously. "Why did you come to Hillwood if you don't have any business here?" she asked and swung her leg over the handlebars to get up from the motorcycle.

Arnold instantly copied her, unwilling to stay on the animal if she wasn't there to control it. "I didn't come here because I wanted to!" he insisted. "I was put on this… this _ship_ I think it was called and then I just ran away and then I saw these big animals that almost ran me over a-and then this guy who almost killed me too and then you - - "

"Who saved your cold ass." The girl interrupted. "You came here by ship, right? Then why not go back by ship?"

"A ship is what brought me here! Can I really trust one to get me back?" Arnold asked, panicking at the mere thought of going back on such a thing.

The girl stared at him for a moment. "Um… are you sure you don't belong in an asylum?" she asked worriedly.

"Asylum?" Arnold said, mispronouncing the word so horribly that the girl leaned back in shock. "What is that? Should I go there instead?"

"I'd like to say yes, but I don't think you'd be wearing that Tarzan outfit if you were an inmate." She said and let her eyes travel down before they went back to his confused, emerald eyes. "Where is this San Lorenzo place?"

"I-I don't know." Arnold answered honestly and the girl arched an eyebrow. "No, no. I-It's not that I don't _know_ … I've just never _not_ been there… I've never been away from San Lorenzo before." Arnold explained and then felt his stomach growl loudly. He put his arms across it in embarrassment, but the girl just huffed.

"I'm kinda hungry too and I have a feeling that your adventure tale is gonna take forever. Wanna go to a restaurant and get something to eat?" she offered, put her helmet on and sat back on the motorcycle. Even though Arnold had no idea what a restaurant was, he did understand what eating was and so, he nodded eagerly and sprung back on the motorcycle. The girl gazed at him curiously for a moment before she sighed in disbelief. "This is the last time I do a good deed for a stranger."

Arnold shrieked at the sound of the animal roaring again and grabbed the girl tightly. "How can you trust this kind of animal?!" he asked loudly so she could hear him.

"Animal?" the girl repeated in a laugh. "It does what I tell it to! They are kinda build to do so!"

"Build?" Arnold repeated in confusion. "Animals have a will of their own!"

"This isn't an animal, it's a machine." The girl explained before she stopped the motorcycle at the sight of a red light.

"Machine?" Arnold repeated and looked down. "Is a ship a machine too?"

"In a way, I guess."

"What about those?" Arnold asked curiously and pointed at the cars surrounding them.

"Cars?" the girl repeated. "Yeah, those are machines. They also only do what we tell them."

"Cars? How did you train them so well?"

The girl twisted her body to glare at the blonde boy. "You're definitely sick in some way… Do you take pills?"

"Pills?" Arnold repeated and shook his head. "I don't even know what that is."

The girl's shoulders slumped. "What the hell is this San Lorenzo place?" she asked jokingly and grabbed the handlebars again when the light turned green.

"A jungle." Arnold answered truthfully and wrapped his arms around her waist again, but the girl turned to stare at him.

" _Jungle_?!" she repeated before the sound of a horn honking behind them caused them both to turn around to look at the car behind them. "Oh, shut up! I'm going, I'm going!"

At that moment, Arnold saw a human lean out of the big, metallic animal and shook his fist at him and the girl. "There's someone inside the car!" he shouted in complete panic. "Is it eating him?"

"No!" the girl answered in disbelief and started the motorcycle. "Look, I don't know if I'm being Punk'd or something, but it's not fucking funny anymore."

"I'm not trying to be _fucking_ funny." Arnold said, wondering what that word meant. It seemed that the girl could hear the word was unfamiliar to him if the way she was trying to glare at him over her shoulder was any indication. "I grew up in San Lorenzo with my parents, Stella and Miles."

"Then where are your parents now?"

"I… I hope they're safe… back in the village." Arnold replied before he felt the machine stop. The girl turned around, took her helmet off and looked at him with a sort of gentle look he hadn't seen in her eyes before. He couldn't bring himself to look away even if he wanted to; she felt magnetic to him. "We… We were attacked by poachers and I jumped off the cliff to get away… so I don't know where they are now."

"Why didn't they jump too?"

"It… It's a long story." Arnold said, wondering if he could trust this girl. The strange good Samaritan had warned him against being naïve and even though this girl had done nothing but help him so far, informing her that he was in the possession of gold might prove that she wasn't as kind as she seemed; and he truly didn't want that to happen.

"We have plenty of time." The blonde girl declared before she got off the motorcycle. Arnold copied her and watched as she wrapped a security chain around the wheel of her motorcycle.

"I thought you said it only did what you told it?"

"It does."

"Then why are you tying it up?" Arnold asked with a smug grin, wondering how much she trusted this so-called machine of hers if she had to tie it up.

The girl smiled patiently at him. "I'm not tying it up because I'm afraid it will escape, if that's what you think." She explained and stood back up. "I'm tying it up so no one can steal it."

Arnold eyed the motorcycle. "Are those machines rare?"

"No, but they cost a lot of money." She replied casually and walked past Arnold. He observed the motorcycle for a moment and then shook his head in lack of understand. Why was money all that people outside San Lorenzo seemed to care about? "I hope you don't mind pizza."

"Pizza?" Arnold repeated. "I've never eaten pizza before so I don't know."

"Oh, right. You grew up in the jungle." The girl said sarcastically and rolled her eyes as she walked towards a building with the name _Antonio's Pizzeria_ on the window. Arnold frowned at the girl's comment, but was too curious by the glass. He tapped it experimentally and the sound made him flinch. "What do you eat in the jungle?"

"Uh, um… fruit, mostly, but also meat from time to time, but that's mostly because we need the protein." Arnold answered and put his palms on the window, wondering what this see-through object was good for.

"So pineapple pizza works for you?" Helga asked before she opened the door and held it open for him. He nodded at the thought of eating something familiar and walked inside. He was met with a strong, unfamiliar smell and he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not.

"Hey, Helga." A young guy behind the counter said and Arnold almost sighed in relief when he saw the dark skin on him. He was the first person he had seen that remotely resembled the Green Eyes back home though this guy was actually darker than they were. Then he realized that the guy had been looking at the blonde girl when he said that name.

"Helga?" he repeated the unfamiliar word.

"That's my name." the blue-eyed girl said matter-of-factly.

"Helga…" Arnold repeated again, loving the feeling of her name rolling on his tongue.

"I know it's not the prettiest name in the world, but there's no need to be that shocked." Helga said in an insulted tone.

"Not pretty? I think it sounds amazing! It's so unique." Arnold said in honest excitement.

Helga blinked a couple of times as she gazed at Arnold. "Right…" she said in a small voice and then coughed. "You've probably only ever known people by the name of Tarzan or Mowgli."

The girl snickered as she approached the guy behind the counter, but Arnold tilted his head in confusion. "I've never heard such names before." He said and sat next to her on the weird backless chairs. "In my village, there's a shaman called Tanana and there's also her sister Innoko and - - "

"Who's the weirdo?" the guy whispered in Helga's direction while Arnold kept listing the names of the people in his village.

"The posterchild for Schizophrenia." Helga answered. "It's a long story, Gerald and I don't even know the whole one yet. We just want a pineapple pizza, please. I'll text you tomorrow or something."

"Sure thing, Helga. Maybe you should call Phoebe, she might know if this guy's legit." Gerald suggested.

"Not tonight, I'm too tired already. I had to save this Tarzan wannabe's ass from Wolfgang and his idiots too."

Gerald snickered. "Welcome to the city." He said to Arnold.

"Thank you." Arnold said, unaware of the sarcasm. "If only I knew how to get home."

"How did he get here?" Gerald asked Helga.

"I intend to find out." Helga replied before she stood up from the chair. She gestured for Arnold to follow her through the pizzeria. She sat down on a big, red couch and Arnold sat down next to her, looking around in awe. "First of all, this is your last chance to admit that this whole thing is a joke because if I find out later, I'll rip out your tongue and wrap it around your neck."

Arnold put his hand around his throat in shock. "I-It's not a joke! I grew up in San Lorenzo, my parents have lived there for years! I was born there!"

"Ok, ok." Helga said as she put her hands up in mock self-defense. She sighed heavily as she eyed him. "Let's pretend for a moment that I don't think you're made of 100% psychotic material and tell me the whole story. Everything I need to know to help you."

Arnold took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok…"

When Arnold could finally stop talking and breathe normally, he looked at Helga who had been listening to him in loyal silence ever since he started telling him about his day. He had told her what he felt she needed to know about him and about his atypical upbringing. She took a deep breath as well once he had finished and looked away for a moment, letting the information sink in and it made Arnold nervous that she wasn't speaking a single word after everything he had said. He wondered if she believed him at all, if she would take advantage of him like the stranger had warned him against or if he could trust her at all. Her words were harsh and she was perhaps a tad rude, but he felt that she was honest and good-hearted underneath.

Before Arnold could beg Helga to say something, the darker boy from before approached them. "Here you go, a pineapple pizza." He introduced and put the plate down in-between the two blondes. He waited for Helga to say something, but she was staring to her side so he looked at Arnold. "Uh, is she ok?"

"I'm not sure…" Arnold admitted.

Gerald poked Helga and she flinched. "Huh?" she mumbled and then noticed the pizza on the table. "Oh, right. Sorry."

Helga shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out what looked like green paper to Arnold. "What's that?" he asked curiously when Gerald took it.

Gerald and Helga stared at each other in disbelief. "I'll explain it." Helga said and Gerald nodded in relief and walked away. "I gave him money for the pizza. It's how you get things around here."

Arnold couldn't help but scowl at the thought of money, this tempting object that caused humans to do horrible things. "How come your kind cares so much about money?" he asked a bit hatefully. He hated himself for talking this way to not just a stranger, but someone who had helped him and was even offering him food. But he couldn't forget the horrible stories and the terrible sights he had seen, all because of money.

" _My_ kind?" Helga questioned, obviously insulted.

"White people." Arnold said, his lips turning into two thin lines.

Helga glared at him. "Excuse me, bucko." she started before she grabbed his wrist, twisted his hand and then placed her palms against his. "Your skin might be darker, but you are just as white as I am."

Helga had assumed that Arnold would argue against her or pull his hand away, but instead he just stared at their joined hands. He pushed their hands to the side, just enough to be able to see both his own and her fingers. Helga was right; he was indeed only slightly darker than she was. He knew he was considered white, just like his parents were as well, but growing up among those with bronze skin made it hard to remember. Though he didn't truly grow up with them; being considered a divine creature, they wouldn't allow him to live among mere mortals. The only people he had been close to was his parents, he had never even touched a Green-Eyed Person except for the small touch from Tanana only a few days ago when she put the amulet around his neck. The feeling of someone else's skin, besides his parents', was completely unfamiliar to him and sent a weird sensation through him.

Helga seemed to realize what Arnold was thinking and pulled her hand away awkwardly. "I'm sorry, it might be a bit of a shock since you grew up with Indians, but you are in fact white. Live with it." she said and rolled her shoulders. "The only reason your skin is darker than mine is because you're probably constantly in the sun in San Lorenzo, right?"

Arnold nodded in confusion. "But what does that have to do with - - "

"The sun is stronger where you live. If I went to San Lorenzo and stayed there for some time, my skin would go darker too. The longer you stay here, the whiter your skin will become." Helga explained. Arnold looked at his arms, panicking by the mere thought of his skin changing without his accept. "Don't worry, we'll get you home before you turn too white."

Arnold looked back at Helga with wide eyes. "We? You… You'll help me?" he asked hopefully, praying that she wasn't making fun of him.

Helga rested her chin in her palm. "I've always believed that if something is worth doing it's worth doing properly. I've already saved your ass once, I might as well carry it out to the end." She said without a hint of a smile on her face. Yet Arnold felt like he had just been met with a deity. He threw himself on her, wrapping his arms around her in pure joy which caused her to almost drop backwards.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Arnold bellowed childishly thankfully. He felt Helga take his arms and push at him until he was forced to look up at her. Then he saw something he hadn't seen before; blushing. Helga's cream-colored skin was tinted red across her cheeks and he couldn't help but worry. "D-Did I make you sick somehow?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Helga asked in honest confusion.

"Your face is all red." Arnold explained.

Helga's eyes widened in understanding. "It is not!" she insisted and scooted away from Arnold. "Now, come on! Eat, your stomach is still growling and so is mine."

Arnold still felt worried about the sudden redness on the girl's cheeks, but she started eating before he could question her any further and then his attention went back to the food. "How do I…?" he muttered in a low voice and picked at the pizza, trying to copy what she was doing. He looked at Helga who was waiting for him to pick up a slice; she was clearly amused by how bad he was at doing so and chuckled when the slice fell out of his grasp. "Help."

Helga chuckled again, put her own slice down and grabbed another. "Hold out your hands like I did before. Then you just take a bite, one at a time. Unless of course you think using cutlery would be easier?" She asked and once Arnold was holding out his hands, she put the slice in his palms. He frowned deeply at the unfamiliar word though. She snickered again and grabbed her own slice. "Never mind, you caveman."

"We only live in caves if it's raining a lot." Arnold said matter-of-factly and took a bite off the pizza. It was kinda of hard to chew he thought, but once he had taken the bite he kind of liked it. "Weird taste."

"I imagine it is. Do you even cook your meat?"

"Of course we do! By the fireplace."

"But San Lorenzo is hot, right? What do you need a fireplace for in the first place?"

"Cooking." Arnold replied matter-of-factly and couldn't help but feeling a little smug. "What is that white stuff outside anyways?"

"White stuff?" Helga repeated and swallowed.

Arnold nodded. "The white stuff that comes down from the sky and stays on the ground, but disappears in your hand."

A disbelieving smile spread on Helga's face. "You mean the snow?"

"Snow?"

"Oh, whoa. I never thought I'd actually meet a person who had never heard of snow. This is so weird." The blonde girl stated thoughtfully. "And you thought my motorcycle was alive."

"I figured out that it isn't… but I don't understand how it can run so fast."

"It's a machine built by humans, it was made to transport you. It's the same thing with cars, you know those bigger machines." Helga said, clearly amused by the surreal situation of having to explain cars to someone. "Oh, and those are build and controlled by humans too."

Arnold shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever understand how they work."

"Oh, trust me. It's not like most people do, it's only the people who built them who truly understands the mechanics." Helga explained, but went quiet when she saw the look on Arnold's face. "What I'm saying is, don't think too much about it."

"Thank you, I'll do that…" Arnold agreed and took another bite. "Can we get something to drink here?"

"Sure, what do you like?"

"Coconut milk." Arnold answered before he could think. "Oh, but I guess you don't have coconuts here. I haven't seen a single tree outside."

"We do have coconuts here, they just don't grow here. They are transported by ship, same way you got here." Helga said before she whistled loudly. "Gerald! A coconut smoothie, please!"

"You get coconuts here from San Lorenzo by ship?" Arnold asked with wide eyes. "Doesn't that mean I can use the same ship to get back?"

"Uh, no. I don't think our coconuts come from San Lorenzo or else I think I would have heard of that place before." Helga explained and Arnold's face revealed how disappointed he was. "If you look at a map, do you think you could see where San Lorenzo is?"

Arnold shook his head. "The only map I've ever seen is one of San Lorenzo and nowhere else… I have no idea where I am."

"You're in Hillwood. Though I guess that doesn't ring a bell." Helga assumed thoughtfully.

 _Hillwood…_ Arnold thought and frowned in deep thought. Somehow it sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember where he might have heard it before. Except for today naturally. Still, it had a familiar ring to it.

"Here you go." Gerald said and put a glass of coconut smoothie on the table and went back to the counter.

"It won't taste like you're used to - - " Helga warned before Arnold was slurping the coconut smoothie down. "But you obviously don't care."

Arnold sighed in satisfaction. "There's something different about it… it's much thicker, but it still has the taste and smell of coconut."

"So it tastes like home?"

"Something like that." Arnold said with a wide grin. Helga snickered at him though and he looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"You have a smoothie moustache."

"A what?" Arnold asked in complete confusion.

"A beard?" Helga tried.

"Oh, no." Arnold said and let his fingers run down his cheek. "I'm like my dad that way, we don't have a lot of facial hair."

"Well, you have a moustache now." Helga said jokingly and grabbed something from her pocket. What Arnold saw was his own reflection though, something he only saw occasionally in the water if it was clear and calm. "Wait. Have you never seen yourself before?"

"Oh, I have. Just… not this clearly. What is that?" Arnold asked and tapped something red he knew wasn't part of his own face. The small object made a loud click and his face froze for a moment before it went back to normal. "What did I just do?"

"You just took a picture of yourself." Helga said matter-of-factly and turned the object around. She tapped on it a few times and then showed it to Arnold again. He could see his own face, but no matter how much he moved, the picture didn't. "Oh, I didn't realize cameras could be this small!"

"You know about cameras?"

"Yes, my parents' friend Eduardo once took our picture when I was just a kid. We still have the picture back at our cabin." Arnold said.

"Well, you're not completely savage then, I guess." Helga said and grabbed her phone before Arnold could play more with it. She considered teaching him about how phones work, but decided against it. There was a limit to how many new stimulations a person should encounter in one day. She imagined Arnold was exhausted and frankly, her day hadn't been too relaxed either. "Are you full?"

"Oh. Yes, thank you." Arnold said, forgetting his thought about what _savage_ meant. "You're very kind."

Helga snorted. "That's a first, but then again you don't really know me that well." She stated before she waved at him, beckoning him to stand up from the couch. Once he was up, she stood up as well. She left some money on the table though this time it was coins and Arnold shook his head. "These are for the coconut smoothie. This is how the modern world works, Arnold. Everything cost money, you don't just go outside and capture your own dinner."

"Where do you get money from anyway?"

"Oh, can we get into that conversation tomorrow? I'm too tired to explain the economical system to you." Helga responded, stretched and then started walking, knowing that Arnold was right behind her. "You can stay at my place until we find out what to do."

"Really?" Arnold asked happily.

"You thought I'd let you sleep in the streets?" she questioned over her shoulder. "In this cold winter and so close to Christmas? I might not be religious, but not even _I_ am that unchristian."

"Christmas?" Arnold repeated in confusion once they were outside and the cold hit him again.

Helga stopped and turned around so fast that her hair hit Arnold's face. She was almost glaring at him. "Your parents never told you about Christmas?" she questioned, but then her face softened. "No, I guess you can't celebrate Christmas in San Lorenzo anyway so maybe they did you a favor. This way you wouldn't feel like you were missing out on anything."

"Missing out…? What is this Christmas thing?"

Helga hummed and then pointed towards the sky. "See those spruces up there between the buildings? With the red bows and golden bells? Those are Christmas decorations, they're only there because Christmas is near." She explained. "It's over soon actually."

Arnold looked around at the Christmas decorations. "But… what are you celebrating?"

"Oh, dear God, don't get me started. Let's just go home to my place and we can continue this lesson on Hillwood living tomorrow." Helga suggested and sat on her motorcycle once she had unlocked it.

"You promise?" Arnold asked and sat behind her.

Helga looked at him with a curious smile. "I thought you wanted to get home as soon as possible?"

"I do!" Arnold insisted, but then shrugged innocently. "But this is the first time I'm out of the jungle."

"Oh, trust me, Arnold." Helga said with a smirk. "You're still in the jungle."

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: That was the second chapter of this story and boy, is the plot thickening, huh? Haha xD I will try to keep the updates consistent and as quick as possible – be aware that I'm still in school though and next week is gonna be a little tight for me. I'm gonna watch** _ **Shadowland**_ **with my mother Thursday night and the day after we're going to my uncle's funeral – it'll be the first time I'll see my family in forever and both my mom and I have lost a lot of weight since then so I have mixed feelings about seeing them (never mind the fact that I don't really like any of them to begin with) because my mom and I had actually decided not to see them before Christmas when we both reached our goal – or were at least closer to our goal than now. But a funeral is not something you can really skip so… yeah. Besides that, I'm also hanging out with friends both Saturday and Sunday. Next week is filled to the brink, but instead of taking notes in school, I write fanfiction so I should get the third chapter up before the end of next week xD**


	3. Lovable

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **Arnold's first encounter with Hillwood was less than successful when he bumped into Wolfgang who threatened to beat him up. Luckily he was saved by a girl who even though she had saved him, didn't seem too happy with him when he cried. She offered him food and let him tell her his story and even though Arnold wasn't sure if she believed him or not, she did tell him he could stay at her place for now.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I don't know what to say and it's past 11pm and I still need to read some homework so go and read the chapter without me keeping you! xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 3: "Lovable"

Helga smirked at Arnold over her shoulder. "Hey, since you've grown up in the jungle… you don't mind a little danger, do you?" she asked with a sort of look in her eyes that made Arnold both nervous and excited.

"Well, my parents taught me to stay out of danger… but I suppose jungle life is more dangerous than city life?"

"Depends, I guess." Helga said and put her helmet on. "Hold on tight, I'm gonna take you for a ride through the city before we go home."

Arnold put his arms around Helga, but as soon as his palms touched her, he flinched a bit and loosened his grip.

"You're gonna fly off if you don't hold on tighter than that." Helga stated matter-of-factly and waited a second, but he didn't seem to change his mind. "Fine, you'll hold on tighter in a second anyway."

"Wait. Why do you say that - - " Arnold said, but the last word turned into a scream when Helga went from zero to ninety within seconds and was speeding down the street. "You're gonna kill us!"

"I think those jaguars you've been saving are more dangerous than this!"

"Doesn't feel like it!"

"Just hold on!" Helga reminded him and laughed at the feeling of her stomach being squeezed tightly. She made an excited howl that felt infectious to Arnold and he copied it weakly. He dared opening his eyes and felt the wind whisk through his hair. It felt like soaring through the sky. He then made a howl that was so excited that Helga couldn't help but laugh. "That's more like it!"

Within some minutes, Helga stopped the motorcycle in front of an apartment complex. She swung her hair out of her helmet and Arnold couldn't feel his face at this point. "Do you always go so fast?"

"Sometimes when I'm pissed or bored, yes."

Arnold frowned. "I'm not sure which one I'm hoping for."

Helga chuckled and got off the motorcycle. "This time I did it for your sake. So you could experience a bit of the wild city life. I'm actually not allowed to drive that fast, especially when it's so dark, but there's so little cars out right now so I figured now was the time." She explained and walked up the stoop while getting her keys out of her pocket.

"I can feel my heart beating in my chest."

"That's the way you should feel your whole life." Helga said before she opened the door. Arnold walked behind her dutifully and stared as they walked up the stairs. "Before you ask, not all of this is my home. I only have one apartment. Other people live in this building too."

Arnold made a low hum, indicating he had heard Helga, but he didn't know what to say. He kept looking at the walls, the floor and all the new sensations he was met with. He was starting to feel a little dizzy with all the silent questions he could feel bubbling inside him. As soon as he was inside Helga's apartment though, the questions came rushing back to him. So many he couldn't think of one to ask her.

"Uh, do you need to sit down?" Helga asked, but before Arnold could answer, she was already pushing him and he was seated on a soft couch. She pulled her leather jacket off her body and exposed the hot pink top she was wearing underneath. Arnold noticed the big, ripped jeans she was wearing as well and the crooked belt around her hips. He wondered if it was because city life was so rough that her pants were ripped. "Do you want some water?"

"Uh, yes please." Arnold responded and Helga disappeared out of his vision causing him to almost fall out of the couch trying to see her. After a moment, she appeared with a glass with water in it. She sat down next to him and he drank it calmly before looking around again. "Do your parents have their own apartment?"

"They have a house."

"Like a cabin?"

"Only bigger." Helga said with a tired smile.

"Where are they?"

"Uh, a bit further down the street, not too far."

"How come you don't live in the same cabin? Uh, house. Is that normal in the city?"

Helga seemed to hesitate, but then she sighed. "No, not when you're 16-years-old." She replied and Arnold couldn't help but be happy that they were the same age. "Remember how you told me that you were close to your parents, but never with the villagers? Well, it's kinda the opposite with me. I don't have much to do with my family, but I have a close relationship to my friends."

"Oh." Arnold said, unsure what else to say and drank again.

"That's it?" Helga questioned, but she sounded more curious than angry. "Most people get shocked or sad when I tell them that."

"Well… you didn't sound sad."

"No?"

"So why should I feel sad for you?" Arnold asked matter-of-factly with not a hint of coldness in his voice. He was more confused than anything else. He didn't feel that it was sad she wasn't close with her family as long as she was happy and not lonely. She didn't seem to miss her family so as long as she had people around her she loved and loved her, he didn't see the issue. Maybe it was because he was brought up differently than city kids that he thought like that?

"Huh." Helga muttered and gave Arnold a curious look. A small smile spread over her lips. "How refreshing."

Arnold looked at Helga in slight confusion and he suddenly felt so shy under her gaze. "Um… you're welcome?" he tried, wondering if she had even expected him to say anything at all.

Helga gave a low hum and stood up from the couch. "It's a good thing I'm a tomboy or else I wouldn't be able to offer you any clothes. Speaking of which, want me to clean yours? And do you want a shower before bed?"

"What is a tomboy?" Arnold asked. "I can wash them myself, you've already done too much for me already, but yes, I think I'd like a shower."

"A tomboy is a girl who is more masculine than most girls are. I have some clothes that'll probably fit you." Helga explained. "I can wash your clothes with my own while you shower. I don't think you know how a washing machine works, I assume?"

"Oh, then… ok." Arnold said and walked towards the kitchen. He could hear Helga walk behind him. "Uh, where does the glass belong?"

Helga crossed her arms in amusement. "Since it's been used, it belongs in the dishwasher." She explained and when he kept looking around in confusion, she beckoned him to follow her with a wiggle of her finger. She opened the dishwasher, took the glass and put it inside. "This machine washes glasses and cutlery. You know what cutlery is?"

Arnold shook his head. "But you mentioned it earlier too… Do you use cutlery to eat with?"

"Whoa, that's kinda impressive. You're right."

Arnold couldn't help but smile with pride. "My mom and dad may not have taught me about the world they grew up in, but I'm not stupid." He said, but could feel his curiosity overpower him. "How does it work though?"

Helga smirked. "Ask the people who built it. I just know that when it's filled, I push a few buttons and in a half hour it's all clean."

Arnold gasped in excitement. "That's amazing!"

"Yea, it's pretty cutting edge." Helga joked and couldn't help but snicker at the childish enthusiasm. She looked at her freezer and bit on her lip. "Let me show you something cooler." She said and walked backwards. Arnold followed her and crouched in front of the big, white machine. When it opened, he felt a cold wind brush against his bare arms. "This is called a freezer. It keeps food frozen so it lasts longer."

Arnold stuck his head inside and pulled out a shelf. "It's like being outside!"

"It's like a door to Narnia." Helga joked, but when she saw the confused look on Arnold's face she shook her head. "Never mind. The refrigerator above it keeps food cold, but not frozen. Like milk, you'd prefer that cold, right? That's what the refrigerator is for."

"Huh…" Arnold said, closed the freezer and opened the refrigerator instead. "I don't know what any of these are!"

"Can we go through the wonders of modern living tomorrow? Didn't you want a shower too? I need to explain to you how that works too anyway."

Arnold jumped onto his feet, closet the refrigerator and followed Helga through the hallway. "Is this how most normal people live?" he asked as he looked around in wonder.

"Well, like I said most 16-years-old don't live alone and can't afford a place like this."

"Afford?"

"Money." Helga specified and rubbed her fingers together. Arnold frowned at that word again and noticed the blonde girl smiling at him. "I told you it's how it works outside of San Lorenzo. Want something? You need money."

"And how do you get money anyway? I know jaguars have something to do with it."

"Jaguars?" Helga asked and stopped outside her bathroom.

"Yes. Poachers want money so they hunt jaguars."

"Oh.' Helga said in understanding and snickered. "Well, that's only poachers, which is why they're called that. Most ordinary people have real jobs."

"Jobs?"

"Yeah, like, um… like Gerald you met earlier. His job is at _Antonio's Pizzeria_. He gets money for taking orders, serving them and so on."

"Oh… what about you?"

"I work a little here and there, but my parents pay for most of my expenses so I don't really need a job." Helga explained and then opened the door to the bathroom. "Ok, listen, because I really don't want to explain this twice. This is the shower, you turn the water on by doing this… and then by twisting this nob to the right or to the left, you can adjust the temperature."

Arnold turned the nob and was instantly drenched by the water. He quickly turned it off and then shook his head like a dog. Helga groaned from getting wet, but sighed rather than scolding him. Helga explained him how the toilet worked as well though she kept that subject as short as possible. After making sure he knew how to handle himself, she said she'd wait outside until he was done. She told him she would bring back some clothes to him and once he had changed, she would put his clothes in the washing machine. As Arnold washed himself, he caught himself thinking it resembled swimming under the waterfall, except not as strong. It felt good to wash the dirt off.

Once Arnold was finished showering, he dried himself off with the towel as Helga had told him to do. He heard a knock on the door and covered himself with the towel instantly. "Y-Yes?" he asked, wondering where this shyness came from.

"You done? Can I put the clothes in there?"

"Yes." Arnold replied and pulled the shower curtain in front of him. He could see a blurred shadow through the curtain and when it disappeared, he stepped out of the shower. He went to grab the new clothes and eyed them. It was a simple pair of blue eagle plaid pajama shorts. Any other boy might have wondered why he wasn't receiving more clothes, but having grown up in the jungle, Arnold was used to wearing very little clothes so he put them on without a second thought.

Arnold walked outside and heard a strange sound from one of the rooms. When he entered, he saw Helga with her back turned to him. She was bending forward, trying to grab something from the drawers under her bed. She had taken her jeans off and was now wearing a pair of pajama shorts like the ones she had given Arnold though hers were black. She was still wearing the hot pink tank top though. Arnold had seen more skin on most of the villagers, but somehow seeing Helga's bare legs made him feel shy and completely aware of how little he was wearing as well.

"Uh, th-thanks for letting me borrow your clothes." Arnold said awkwardly. Helga flinched at the sound of his voice though and fell backwards with the duvet covering her entire body. Arnold ran towards her and bend forward to look at her. "Are you ok?"

"Rule number 1 about living here." Helga said behind the duvet before Arnold swung it aside so he could see her face. Her blonde hair was one big mess around her shoulders and on her face. "Do _not_ scare me like that."

Arnold couldn't help the smile that spread on his face. "Whatever you say, Helga." He said kindly and offered his hand. She took it and let him help her up. She was about to say something, but then she blinked and looked him over. He felt shy under her gaze and looked at himself, wondering if he was wearing the shorts wrong or something. "W-What?"

"Oh, no, sorry. Um…" Helga said and spread her fingers over her cheeks to hide the small blush on her face. "I just… I mean, it's natural since you grew up in the jungle, I guess…"

"What is?" Arnold asked. The look Helga was giving him was unfamiliar, but somehow he felt it wasn't a bad look.

Helga made a weak gesture towards Arnold's chest. "You couldn't see it behind your clothes, but you're pretty… well-shaped." She decided to call this Adonis-like perfection she was in front of. Helga had never cared for the burly boys who were more muscle than brain, but Arnold's body was basically perfection to her because he looked like an actual human being at the same time.

"Well… shaped?" Arnold questioned. "I don't think I understand."

"N-Never mind." Helga insisted dismissively. "So, do you think my set-up is ok?"

Arnold wanted to question Helga, but decided against it and gestured to the duvet. "What is this?"

"Don't you use blankets in San Lorenzo?"

"Well, very thin ones when it's raining… Is this a Hillwood blanket?" Arnold asked and held the duvet up, feeling the weight of it.

"It's called a duvet, they are warmer than a blanket."

"They have to be with all that fabric!" Arnold exclaimed with a grin.

Helga grabbed the pillow from the drawer and threw it on the floor next to her bed. "I've put the extra mattress on the floor, but I wonder if you can really sleep on that. What do you sleep on in SL?"

 _SL?_ Arnold wondered for a moment, but then figured she meant San Lorenzo. "We sleep on beds… but they aren't this big." He explained and sat down on the mattress. "And not this soft! What is this made of?"

"Foam, I think." Helga answered and waved her hand at Arnold when he looked questioningly at her. "But will it do?"

"I've slept on a wooden floor in a ship for who knows how long on my way here." Arnold said and lied down, sighing as he felt himself sink into the mattress. "This is like sleeping on a cloud."

Helga snickered at the sight and went towards the lights. She shut them off and then walked back to her bed where she still had a lamp turned on. "Magic." She teased when she noticed Arnold staring at her in wonder.

Arnold shook his head in amusement and watched as Helga rested her head in her palm. He copied her position to look at her. "For how long have you lived here alone?"

"Oh, let's see… I think Bob suggested this arrangement when I hit puberty so… three years."

"Whoa… I couldn't imagine living alone as a 13-year-old."

"Most people can't. I was basically living alone even when I was in the same house as them."

Now that saddened Arnold more than he was likely to admit. "What… do you mean?"

"They never paid much attention to me. I have a big sister named Olga who is basically perfect in every single way. Kind, smart, funny, all that and I've been in her shadow my whole life. So I basically raised myself." Helga spoke with only a hint of melancholy in her voice, but it was enough for Arnold to notice it.

"Now I feel sad for you…" he admitted even though he felt like he was betraying her. She had been so happy when he had said the opposite earlier, but he wasn't a good liar and he didn't want to pretend that he thought the way her family had treated her was fair.

"Oh, boo." Helga said dismissively and laughed. "Don't be, I was over it before I moved."

"Still…" Arnold muttered. "I'm… Back in the village, I'm…"

"You're…?" Helga probed.

Encouraged by Helga's interest, Arnold continued. "I'm treated like a demigod by the Green Eyes."

"A demigod? Why?"

"When I was born, it was during a volcanic eruption." Arnold explained. Helga leaned up, staring at him in shock. "But as soon as I screamed, everything went quiet… The Green-Eyed People believe that makes me divine."

Helga blinked a couple of times. "Um… I don't want to patronize your divinity, but that sounds like a coincidence to me."

"The Green Eyes don't believe in coincidences…" Arnold said and then smiled. "But I agree with you."

"But, whoa… having an entire village treat you as a God. Must be pretty sweet."

Arnold shook his head. "They won't go near me… They think that it would interfere with my spirituality."

Helga groaned, but then her eyebrows knotted together. "Wait… does that mean that you've never talked to any of them?" she asked, but Arnold shook his head. "Then what?"

"I'm just not allowed to go near them. Besides my parents, the only person who has ever touched me is… well, you." Arnold admitted and could feel his skin heat up.

"Me?" Helga questioned in confusion, but then remembered putting her palm against his earlier that evening. "Oh, you mean the Tarzan and Jane moment."

"You keep mentioning that Tarzan name, who is that?"

"Oh, he's a fictional character." Helga explained briefly. "He grew up among gorillas in the jungle so he's never seen another human being besides himself, but then he meets Jane and… a bunch of things happen."

"A bunch of things?" Arnold repeated and sat up on his knees to get closer to Helga's eyelevel.

She quirked a curious eyebrow. "It's a made-up story."

"I don't care, it sounds interesting. When I was a kid, my dad always used to tell me bedtime stories."

"You want a bedtime story?" she asked in disbelief and wrapped her arm under her pillow. Arnold nodded eagerly before he wondered if it was asking for too much, but then she smiled. "Ok then… but remember that this isn't real."

* * *

Arnold wasn't sure when he and Helga fell asleep. She had committed fully to tell him the story of Tarzan and he had been enthralled by her voice, hanging onto every word she spoke. He couldn't even remember the ending of the story so he assumed he had fallen asleep before that. He rolled around on the mattress to look at Helga and gulped at the sight of her. One of her legs had escaped the confinement of the duvet and it was pulled down to her hips, uncovering her entire torso. The tank top was askew and he could see her shape.

Arnold sat up on his knees and crawled closer to the blonde, blue-eyed girl. He was as quiet as he had been taught to be. He often went into the jungle just to study animals and their behavior and somehow, he felt like this was what he was doing now; studying a strange, new animal he hadn't come across before. He couldn't get over how unearthly she looked to him; hair like the baking sun, eyes like the waterfall and skin like the sand of the beach. She reminded him of himself, but she was so foreign to him in every way. He felt nervous around her, but he also wanted to stay close to her, hear her voice and look at her. She made him feel a way he had never felt before and he didn't understand what it was.

"It's very hard to sleep when you're staring at me."

Arnold jolted violently and fell backwards in shock when one blue eye stared at him. He could feel the embarrassment fill him from his core. "How… How did you know?" he asked in astonishment. In all his years, not one animal had hear him approach.

"It's called a sixth sense." Helga replied casually and closed her eyes again.

"Sixth sense?"

"That little voice in your head that tells you that you either need to shut up, say something, that something needs your attention or that something dangerous is nearby." Helga explained and turned around until she was on her back and then stretched. It made her arch her back against the mattress like a bobcat.

"What did the voice say about me?" Arnold asked shyly.

Helga opened one eye and gazed at the blonde boy for a bit. "Attention." She said with a crooked smile and then sighed before she lied back down, obviously intending to go back to sleep.

Arnold couldn't help but smile goofily at Helga's answer though he wasn't sure why it made him so happy. He felt kind of guilty, lying there feeling somehow happy, when he had no idea where his parents were or if they were even safe. They were smart, courageous people though; he was sure that they were back in the village, safe and sound. But they were probably looking for him, worried and he expected the same from the villagers. Though their worry may be different, he still felt horrible that he couldn't contact them in some way and tell him that he was ok. He moved his hand to his chest, expecting to feel the amulet against his palm, but all he felt was his skin. He moved his hand around for a moment before he looked down and confirmed that the amulet was gone.

"No!" Arnold cried out in despair and left the room. He could hear Helga gasp behind him.

"W-What? What's wrong?" she asked in confusion as he ran to the bathroom and started rummaging through everything he could find. Helga got out of the bed and followed him groggily. "What are you looking for?"

"My amulet! The amulet Tanana gave me! It's all I have from the village! She warned me against this, how could I lose it?"

"Arnold. Arnold. Arnold!" Helga said, but raised her voice the third time and he finally turned to look at her, breathless from shouting and running around at the same time. "I have it."

"What?" Arnold questioned and felt his whole world crumble. "Did… Did you want to steal it?"

"What?!" Helga shouted in disbelief and the tired expression was gone. "No! It was with your clothes and I assumed you didn't want it to get broken in the washing machine! Criminy!"

Helga turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, Arnold following behind her. He could hear her mutter incomprehensible, unfamiliar words under her breath, but he understood that she was angry and those words probably weren't good ones. She ripped open the drawer in her nightstand and took out the amulet, letting it hang from her fingers. It dangled in front of Arnold's face for a moment before he meekly held out his palm and she let it fall to safety. She growled in annoyance and then went into her bed, pulling the duvet all over her face and successfully hiding herself from the world.

After putting the amulet around his neck, Arnold sat on his knees next to the bed. "I'm so sorry…" he said in a whisper. When she didn't react he spoke louder. "I am so sorry, Helga. I didn't mean to suspect you… I just… I've been told my whole life that people outside San Lorenzo are greedy a-and every person I've met has proved me right… until I met you. I'm sorry, I just… it just hurt to think that you'd might be like… everyone else."

Helga stayed quiet for so long that Arnold almost wondered if she had fallen asleep, but then the duvet moved and her face appeared from under it. "I have two things to say to you. One, just because you've heard something your entire life doesn't make it true. If I believed all the shit I've been told, I would either be really fucked up or dead." She said hatefully. "Two, you should see this as a chance to get to know people before you judge them. Yes, a lot of people are selfish and hateful, I can confirm that, but not everyone is like that and you have no right to lump me together with them before you know me."

Arnold had been scolded before, but not quite like that. He nodded shamefully. "I'm so sorry…" he repeated.

Helga eyed him for a moment before she sighed and threw the duvet off her. "I guess it does make me a little happy to hear that you would have been that miserable if _I_ had stolen your amulet." She said with a sadistic smirk.

Arnold didn't have it in him to get insulted. He feared he had ruined the blossoming friendship with his only ally in Hillwood. "Can I… Can I still stay?" he asked hopefully.

"Criminy!" Helga exclaimed and Arnold flinched. "Who said anything about kicking you out? Do you really trust people that little? Or is it just because I'm _white_?"

"No!" Arnold insisted, but if he had been totally honest that might have been partially true. It was true when he said that he had only met bad, white people, but he knew that the only white people who came to San Lorenzo were poachers and not everyone was a poacher.

"Well, I'm not kicking you out." Helga stated and lied back down, but not with her back turned to Arnold like before. "Go back to sleep. We only have like a few hours left."

Arnold wasn't sure what Helga meant by that, but he obeyed and lied back down. "I… I'm really sorry, Helga."

"Let it go."

"And… you really are a good and kind person. I knew that, but I forgot… I'm sorry."

"You'll forget again at some point."

"I won't - - "

"To err is human… and most people wouldn't call me good or kind." Helga said tiredly before her shoulders slumped and Arnold knew she was asleep. He gazed at her for a moment, wondering why anyone would say she wasn't good or kind. To him, despite the fear he had felt only moment earlier by the mere thought of her having anything in common with poachers, she seemed both considerate and reliable. He wanted to make sure she understood that tomorrow morning.

* * *

"Helga!" a deep, roaring voice shouted before the owner knocked on the front door. "Open up, girl! I ain't got the time to wait for your lazy ass!"

Arnold sat up in shock and turned to look at Helga when she groaned. "For fuck's sake…"

"Who is that?"

"My dad." Helga answered and jumped out of the bed. "Stay." She ordered as if talking to a dog before she left him alone to wonder if he should be ready to hide since he wasn't allowed to join her. He could hear some yelling and worried whether she was ok. He got up from the floor and peeked out of the door; he could see that a large man had barged into the apartment and was talking with Helga. Or rather _to_ her.

"Listen, little lady, Olga sent me to convince you to come home for Christmas so just make it easier for both of us and agree."

Helga sighed. "My answer is the same as last year; I'm not going."

"Oh, come on, girl! Olga was so upset the first year that she cried all over the turkey. I didn't even need to season it!"

"That was the first year, it's been another two since then. Tell her to stop being such a crybaby."

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey! Don't talk about your sister that way, little lady. It's not like I want you there for Christmas either - - "

"Thanks for stating the obvious."

"But…" Bob said with a sigh. "Olga wants you there."

Helga gazed at her dad for a moment, almost as if she was considering it. Then she looked away from him and towards the bedroom for no good reason. It made her notice Arnold in the doorframe though and he flinched in embarrassment of having been caught. Helga stared at him long enough for Bob to notice who turned around and looked in the same direction. Arnold gulped at the sight of the big man's eyes widening.

"Who is the boy?" Bob asked in Helga's direction, but didn't wait for her to answer before he was walking through the hallway. Arnold gulped and stepped back before Bob pushed the door open. "Who are you?"

"M-My name is A-Arnold."

Bob turned around to glare at Helga. "Did he spent the night here?"

"Calm down, Bob, it's not what you think." Helga said with a roll of her eyes and pointed at the floor. Bob looked past Arnold and noticed the arrangement of the mattress, duvet and pillow.

Bob huffed. "Did she throw you outta the bed, kid?" he asked as he crossed his arms, looking incredibly intimidating as he did so.

"I've never been in it." Arnold answered honestly, unaware of why Bob was questioning him about this to begin with.

The right half of Bob's unibrow arched as he looked between the two blonde teenagers. "I guess it'd be more shocking if he had been in it." he stated which caused Helga to scowl very deeply and Arnold noticed. "Well, I'm done here. Think about it, Helga."

With those words, Bob left both Helga and Arnold alone in the bedroom. Once they heard the front door slam, Helga sighed in relief. "I'm sorry you had to meet him. Especially this early in the morning." She stated and walked out of the bedroom.

Arnold didn't know what to say except ask what was on his mind. "What did he mean by… that it would be shocking if I had been in your bed?" he asked innocuously.

Helga turned to glare at him. "Are you seriously asking me that?" she questioned, but her scowl faded at the sight of Arnold's innocent expression. She sighed again. "According to my family, I'm basically unlovable. Which isn't hard to understand since I scare every guy within a mile radius away."

"Why?" Arnold asked in genuine confusion.

Helga snorted. "Let's just say I'm not girlfriend material."

Arnold watched her curiously as she started rummaging with something in the kitchen. He knew what a girlfriend was; it was what Stella was to Miles before they got married. So it meant that Helga thought she couldn't be with someone the same way his parents were? It made no sense to him. In the less than 24 hours he had known her, she had not only saved him from getting beaten up and offered him food, she even gave him a place to sleep and promised to help him find his way home. What was that if not lovable?

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: Did you notice the Easter egg I put somewhere in this chapter? ;) Here's a hint: it's a quote from a movie that came into the cinema some months ago.**


	4. You're too honest

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After bringing Arnold home with her, she made a bed for him on the floor which Arnold felt was more comfortable than his bed in San Lorenzo and had therefore no trouble falling asleep as Helga told him the story of Tarzan. He woke up before her though and observed her for a while and was surprised that she noticed. He noticed that his amulet was missing and panicked at the thought of Helga stealing it, which she scolded him for when she gave it back to him, explaining she had kept it safe while washing his clothes.**_

 _ **In the morning, the blondes woke up to Helga's dad coming to ask her to join the family on her sister's behalf, but she refused. Bob questioned why Arnold was there, but didn't stay long enough to get any answers.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: It's funny, a lot of the reviewers stated that they noticed the Easter egg in the last chapter, but only one has actually stated what they thought the Easter egg is, haha xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 4: "You're too honest"

Helga was humming thoughtfully to herself when Arnold joined her in the kitchen. He looked at her for a moment, but she didn't seem to notice him. "What are you thinking about?" he asked gently, hoping not to startle her.

Helga hummed again, crossed her arms and let her head fall backwards until her throat was exposed. "I'm thinking about what I should do about school today… and with you, I guess." She explained.

"School?" Arnold repeated the unfamiliar word.

"It's a place people our age go to in order to learn things we won't need in the future."

"Then why do you go?"

"Because the government says education is important and I agree with that; the problem is our education is flawed and focuses on the wrong subjects." Helga said with a huff. "I can tell you loads about Shakespeare's classics, but God forbid I know first aid."

"Well, if it's for people our age then can't I go with you?" Arnold asked, hoping he didn't seem needy. He didn't like the thought of being alone though even if it was in the safety of Helga's apartment.

Helga looked at Arnold curiously. "Well, I guess you could… I think our teachers might let you join, I mean it's not like one student more or less will change anything. I wonder if we should tell him the whole story or not though."

"Can we keep it a secret? At least what we can?"

"Well, sure, but then we need a cover story." Helga stated and hummed thoughtfully again. "We could of course claim that we're related somehow... No, wait, I got it! We can pretend you're my pen pal from South America."

"Pen pal?"

"Everyone in our class has a pen pal from a different country, we've had them since we were kids. It's basically someone you write letters to every now and then. I don't really talk a lot about my pen pal so no one will know that it isn't you."

Arnold nodded in understand. "Pen pal from South America." He declared. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Not really, I guess. I mean, the fact that you're from a different culture will match perfectly so just be you." Helga said, but then eyed Arnold's body for a moment. "But you're gonna need to borrow some more of my clothes, I guess. Maybe we have time to go shopping?" she wondered and looked at the clock hanging on her wall. "Good thing I live close to Hillwood mall."

Arnold wondered what a mall was, what shopping meant and what it had to do with clothes, but didn't have the time to ask because Helga was obviously in a hurry after that. She gave him his old, now clean clothes back and told him to change into them in the bathroom while she got dressed as well. Once they were both ready, Helga threw an old jacket of hers at Arnold and despite it being too small, it would be warm enough for the cold weather outside. They jogged through the streets and Arnold thought Hillwood looked a lot more friendly this morning. It was still dark and he wondered if it was because of the weather. Once they reached the mall, Arnold walked as close to Helga as physically possible. It was filled to the brink with people and they all seemed to be in a hurry.

"What are all these people doing?"

"Last minute Christmas shopping." Helga answered. "It's a tradition on Christmas that we give presents to the people we care about and some people decide to wait until the very last moment to buy those gifts."

"Again with the money…" Arnold mumbled.

"Christmas has become more materialistic over the years, but…" Helga said with a bit of a fond smile. "I learned years ago that if you want it to be, it can be so much more." She stated and stepped onto the escalator. Arnold stayed behind though and she noticed that when she turned around. "Come on!"

"What is that?" Arnold asked as he studied the moving stairs.

"Just jump on it!" Helga said, rolled her eyes and turned around again.

Arnold tried putting his foot on it, but changed his mind the last second. He took a couple of steps back and literally jumped on it, steadying himself so he wouldn't fall down. He looked behind him as the floor got further and further away below him.

"And now you jump off."

"Huh?" Arnold said and turned his head just in time to see the escalator turning into floor again. He gasped in shock, uncertain what to do until he felt someone grab his arms and hoist him up. He felt the floor beneath his feet again and looked at Helga who was giving him a bit of a glare. "Can we use the normal stairs from now on?"

Helga rolled her eyes at Arnold's question, but let go of him to head towards a shop. He followed her like a puppy and gasped in wonder when he saw what was inside the shop. Helga waved a clerk over to them who approached them with a smile.

"Long story short; this guy here needs clothes for the winter, but has never shopped his entire life. Mind teaching him how this works while I make a call?" Helga asked, flashed her platinum card at the clerk to make sure that he would do as she had instructed. Once she was sure that he was indeed taking Arnold for a shopping lesson, she patted him on the shoulder. "Look around and tell me if there's some clothes you like, but hurry up. We don't have a lot of time before school starts."

Arnold followed the clerk obediently who started informing him about the clothes. Helga momentarily wondered if the clerk had truly understood that Arnold didn't understand the simplest things about clothes, but didn't have the patience to go over it with him herself so she went to sit down as planned. She pulled out her phone and clicked on her best friend's name on the display. It didn't take long before Phoebe picked up.

"Good morning, Phoebs." Helga greeted the half Japanese girl. "I kinda need your help… somewhat."

"Of course, Helga. What is it?"

"Well, it's kinda a long and complicated story, so I will simplify it." Helga declared and cleared her throat. "Basically, I have a boy living with me right now who claims to have come to Hillwood by ship. He says he lives in a place called San Lorenzo, but has no idea where it is on a map. I want to help him get back, but how am I supposed to do that?"

Phoebe was quiet for a moment, but Helga knew that meant that she was just processing the information. "I have never heard of San Lorenzo before…" she admitted bluntly.

"Me neither." Helga sighed. "But that's where he grew up apparently. His parents are back there, wondering where he is."

"Why is he here?"

"Some people kidnapped him, but he got off the ship." Helga explained briefly and looked towards Arnold and the clerk. The clerk was currently showing Arnold the label on a plaid shirt and Arnold was listening curiously. "He was kinda scared when I first met him, but I think his curiosity exceeds his fear."

"That's good. He mustn't panic." Phoebe stated. "But he came here by ship, you say? I suppose he can go back by ship as well."

"I think so, but the ship he was brought here by wasn't exactly a cruise. I don't think I can just buy him a ticket and everything is solved."

"First things first, we need to find out where San Lorenzo is." Phoebe stated and Helga could hear some tapping in the phone she knew came from Phoebe's computer. "Oh, here's something. San Lorenzo de Almagro…"

"Perfect! Where is it?"

"It's an Argentine sports club…" Phoebe admitted and Helga groaned loudly. "Seems like that's all Google knows about San Lorenzo."

"So, what? Does this San Lorenzo place even exist?"

"Perhaps it's a very small island? How long was he on the ship before he got here?"

"Enough for him to practically be starving once he got here, but he says he doesn't have a clue how long he was on the ship." Helga explained with a small sigh and looked towards the clerk and Arnold again. The clerk was waving her over. "Sorry, Phoebs, gotta go. I'm buying some clothes for the jungle cub so he won't become a popsicle. I'm bringing him to school today though so I'll talk to you later, ok?"

"Talking to you later." Phoebe said in her usual cheerful voice and hung up.

Helga jogged towards the clerk and Arnold who was holding a bunch of clothes in his embrace. "You like plaid, huh?" she asked curiously.

Arnold nodded excitedly and Helga couldn't help but chuckle. "The clerk said I should try it on, but I should ask you first." He explained, clearly unsure why the clerk had stated that.

Helga glared at the clerk. "Which part of platinum card did you not understand? Let him try it on for crying out loud!" she stated. The clerk apologized and led Arnold to the dressing rooms. Helga followed them until she reached a small couch and sat down there as well. Arnold disappeared behind a curtain and the clerk went back to the counter. "Now you just try on the clothes, one at a time, and come out here so I can see how it looks on you."

Arnold gave an excited sound as a response and Helga chuckled again. It wasn't that she hated shopping, but it wasn't one of her favorite activities either. Somehow she was already having a lot of fun. As soon as Arnold stepped out in the first outfit, she could feel the girl inside her hollering. It was fun to shop with someone who had never experienced it before and was so excited about it. She figured clothes weren't exactly a part of his normal world so the chance to actually choose between so many kinds of clothing excited him and thereby her.

Helga wasn't sure how long they spend time shopping, but when she was finally swiping her card into the machine, she felt both happy and tired. "You definitely like plaid though."

"I guess." Arnold said with a big grin as he looked at himself in the mirror one last time. He was wearing a pair of blue pants, a red, plaid shirt and a blue sweater over it. Besides that he was also wearing a pair of black sneakers and a dark blue coat.

"It suits you." Helga said with a crooked smile. Arnold smiled goofily back at her before he followed her out of the store. "So the escalator is a no go, but we can try the elevator."

Arnold followed Helga until they reached something that resembled a door, but it led to a very small room. "What is that?" he asked as he walked inside. He watched as Helga clicked a button and the door shut. When the room seemed to start vibrating, his eyes widened and he looked around in a panic. "What's going on?"

"Calm down." Helga ordered before the door opened again and she walked out. Arnold looked around in astonishment at the new surroundings. Helga poked his shoulder and pointed upwards. "Look."

Arnold turned around and saw what looked like a big, metallic box that started at the floor and went up to the floor above them. "Does that thing just go up and down all day?"

Helga snickered. "Kind of." She replied and looked at her phone. "Oh, crap. We gotta go!"

Arnold started running with Helga, but he didn't understand what the hurry was. "What's wrong?"

"School already started! Dammit, I had too much fun shopping with you!" Helga explained and laughed in disbelief. "Rhonda's gonna have a field day when she hears that!"

"Rhonda?"

"Basically the school's shopping queen!" Helga explained. "I hope you're a good runner, Arnold, because we have to run all the way to the school!"

* * *

Helga wondered why she was even surprised to find out that Arnold could more than keep up with her. All things considered, he probably ran a lot more than she did on a regular basis. He even had to wait for her from time to time, but she wasn't exactly slow in comparison. Once they reached the school, Arnold had to stop himself from staring at everything and just focus on following Helga. When a ball rang though, it was her who stopped.

"First recess… Well, that means we can at least slow down." The exasperated girl stated and walked slowly through the hallway, which was slowly getting filled with other students. Arnold stayed close to her, afraid that he would get lost in the herd of humans if he didn't. When someone bumped into him and he almost got separated from Helga, he couldn't help but grab her coat to make sure she didn't get away from him. She grabbed his hand in shock, about to shout at him, but when she saw it was Arnold, she kept holding his hand until they reached her locker. "Bet you've never seen so many people in your life, huh?"

"I think that the amount of people there's in your school is ten times as many as there are Green Eyes." Arnold bellowed and looked in curiosity as Helga unlocked her locker and grabbed some books from inside it.

"You've ever seen a book before?" Helga asked and waved a book in her hand.

"Yes, my dad writes in one. It's his journal." Arnold replied and accepted the book when Helga offered it to him. He opened it and looked inside it. "I don't understand half of these words…"

"But you can read?" Helga asked surprised.

Arnold nodded. "Yes, my parents taught me how to read and write. We write letters to my grandparents." He explained and gave Helga the book back.

"Your grandparents? Wait, where do they live?"

Arnold put his hand up to his mouth in thought. "Um… I don't remember. I just write the letter and my parents make sure my grandparents get them."

"Well, great!" Helga said excitedly and bumped her fist against Arnold's arm. "That means there should be a way for you to get to San Lorenzo that isn't illegal! If your parents can send letters like that, there must be someone that brings the letters. Do you know what they do with them?"

Arnold shook his head in embarrassment. "I don't know… They just take them and then I get a reply at some point." He admitted.

Helga sighed. "Well…" she mumbled, but then forced a smile. "Still, it's good news. It means that San Lorenzo isn't completely isolated. It should be easier to find then."

Arnold smiled back at Helga, silently apologizing for not being of much help. Now that he thought about it, there were plenty of things his parents had never explained to him and things he had never asked about. It had just been the way he grew up, he had never wondered how or why. That was going to change once he got back home; he would ask about ships, money, about the world they grew up in and the letters. He had to know how and why from now on.

Arnold followed Helga to a classroom and was met with several people his and her age. "Helga!" a girl with fair skin and black hair greeted excitedly. "I thought you ran into trouble when you weren't here on time."

"We kinda lost track of time." Helga admitted.

"We?" another girl asked, one with red hair, and leaned to the side when she noticed Arnold. She smiled sweetly. "Oh, who's this?"

Helga stepped to the side so the others could see Arnold. He smiled awkwardly. "M-My name is Arnold. I'm Helga's pen pal."

The teenagers looked at him, stunned. "You didn't say your pen pal was gonna visit!" a girl with skin as dark as the Green-Eyed People's were, but her hair was as blonde as Helga's was.

"H-He surprised me last night." Helga stated with an innocent smile. "He gave no warning whatsoever."

"Sorry." Arnold said just as innocently, hoping his acting was good enough.

"Well, it's ever so nice to meet you." The red-haired girl said, stood up and offered her hand to Arnold. "My name is Lila. Welcome to Hillwood."

"Thank you." Arnold said and looked at her hand in confusion. He moved his arm forward, but didn't grab her hand. She looked at him curiously before she took his hand herself and shook it.

"Where are you from?" she asked, but looked in Helga's direction as she spoke.

"San Lorenzo." Helga answered to Arnold's surprise. "The culture is very different from ours so don't expect him to know too much."

"Oh!" Lila said excitedly. "How exciting, just ever so much! Well, I hope you will love it here."

Arnold almost sighed in relief once the girl went back to her seat. "Is it ok to tell people I'm from San Lorenzo?" he whispered to Helga.

"It's easier than making up a place that is equally uncivilized." Helga replied and nudged her elbow playfully at Arnold when he frowned at her comment. "Hey, they have to know why you won't know anything, right?"

Arnold still felt insulted, but he supposed it was only natural. If any of these kids came to San Lorenzo, they wouldn't know half the stuff he knew after all. "Isn't that Gerald?" he asked when a familiar face smiled at him.

"Yes, and that's Phoebe, his girlfriend next to him." Helga confirmed and walked towards them. Arnold followed close behind her and sat down next to her. "Arnold, Phoebe. Phoebe, Arnold."

"Hello, Arnold." Phoebe said, readjusted her glasses and looked at him curiously. "I didn't expect you to be blonde."

"He's from San Lorenzo, but apparently his parents are white." Helga explained briefly. "Any luck in finding San Lorenzo?"

Phoebe shook her head. "I think you need to see a government agency." She suggested.

"How's a government agency gonna help?" Helga asked with a frown.

"Mr. Bailey who works there owes me a favor." Phoebe explained. "He does a little… outside work from time to time. I believe he should be able to find out where San Lorenzo is."

"Well, that's our stop once school's over then." Helga said in Arnold's direction, but then looked back at Phoebe. "Can you text him and warn us we're coming?"

"Already did, but you don't need to show up. I gave him your email so once he's found something, he'll mail you. It may take some time though; he won't do it until his own work is done."

"Good thing Football Head here is a Curious George then, eh?" Helga said playfully and pushed at Arnold's shoulder.

"Football Head?" Arnold repeated in confusion. "What's a football?"

"Oh, man!" Gerald bellowed and smacked his hands against his face. "Poor kid, doesn't know what football is! Dude, at gym class, you gotta join us for a football game."

Arnold nodded in both confusion and understanding. He understood it was a game, but what it had to do with his head, he didn't understand. He figured he'd find out later though.

* * *

Arnold had never felt as mentally exhausted as he did at the end of his first school day. The whole day had been one long new experience filled with a million smaller experiences. The mere thought of the walk home he and Helga had ahead of them made the avid in his legs stir. The game called football had also been more intense than the thought and at the sight of the shape of the ball, he understood why Helga had called him _Football head_. Several students had been as aggressive as jaguars were when they caught their pray and Helga in particular had resembled a carnivore. It had been as scary as it had been impressive.

"Are you completely pooped or can you handle one last new experience for the day?" Helga asked with a smirk. Arnold wanted to cry at the suggestion, but looked in the same direction as her before deciding. He rose a curious eyebrow at the sight of people, rather than walking, moving on boards with wheels on them. The whole area had been rid of the pesky, but pretty snow and he could see the asphalt.

"What are those?"

"They're called skateboards. They're a lot of fun once you get the hang of them."

"Do you have the hang of them?" Arnold asked, his wording awkward because of the unfamiliar term.

Helga held back a laugh. "Yeah, wanna try?"

"Do you have a skateboard?"

"Not with me, but I know those people over there." Helga replied and gestured to two boys and a girl. As they got closer to them, Arnold could see their features properly.

One of the boys had as dark skin as Gerald's and his hair was also curled the same way, but was much shorter. His tall and lean body was wearing a green basketball jersey with the number 1 on it and with gray shorts. He was also wearing a brown coat due to the cold weather and on his feet were black and white sneakers. On his wrist was a yellow wristband.

The other boy had much lighter skin and was short and chubby. He had light brown hair hidden under a red baseball hat that was facing backwards, wide eyes and freckles on his cheeks. He was wearing a white t-shirt, a green jacket, baggy jeans and snickers.

The girl was slightly shorter than the chubby boy was and had chocolate brown eyes. Her outfit consisted of a light orange cotton ski cap upon her head and was hiding part of her raven black hair, which was tied up in two pigtails held by a small red hair tie. She wore an unzipped black leather biker jacket over a red cotton knee length dress, a pair of light orange stockings with thin red stripes on them, and finally a pair of oversized black rubber biker boots with buckles on them.

Helga whistled when the girl came down from the ramp. "Nice Axel stall, Spinelli." She said and smacked the boys' palms. "Hey, TJ. Hey, Vince."

"Long time no see, Pataki." Vince greeted and smiled at Arnold. "Who's this?"

"This is Arnold, my foreign football headed friend who has never been on a skateboard." Helga replied and rested her elbow on Arnold's shoulder. "Any chance I could borrow one of your boards?"

"Take mine." Spinelli stated, stepped harshly on the edge of the board and caught it when it jumped up to her.

"Thanks, Spin." Helga said and took the flame-decorated board. "Arnold, just do what I do." She said and put the skateboard on the asphalt. She gently rolled on the pavement before she came back and gave it to him. He copied her, putting one foot on the board. As soon as he pushed with the other foot though, he started wobbling. "Easy, bucko."

"What is a bucko anyway?" Arnold asked in slight annoyance before he tried once again and managed to stay on the board for about 5 seconds.

"A fool." Helga replied with a smile.

"Am I a fool because I can't skate?"

"When Helga calls you stuff like that, it's meant in a loving way." Vince yelled with a grin that showed his white teeth.

"Yeah, like when Spinelli calls us worms." TJ said and Spinelli scowled at him.

"Shut up, worm breath!"

"See? Loving."

Arnold snickered at the exchange between TJ and Spinelli before he tried skating again. He rolled down the pavement slowly and didn't stop until he wanted to. He grinned at Helga who flashed him a thumbs-up. He turned around and skated back and forth a couple of times.

"Good. Now, let's try more than one mile an hour, ok?" Helga suggested a bit mockingly and Arnold noticed. With a determined frown, he put both of his feet on the board. He regretted it the second he did though when he felt the skateboard roll down the pavement.

Before Arnold lost his balance though, he felt someone grab his arms and steady him on the board. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a pair of relieved blue ones. The relief they both felt faded into an awkward laughter that didn't end until Helga noticed the way Arnold was smiling at her. An equally goofy smirk threatened to crack her face so she walked behind him and started running with her hands pressed to his back. Arnold shut his eyes in reflex, but when he didn't fall, he opened his eyes again and grinned.

TJ, Vince and Spinelli, who were still watching Arnold and Helga, had just turned to look curiously at each other. "Uh, is it just me?" Vince asked.

"No, I see it too." Spinelli said in slight confusion.

"Damn," TJ said and looked back at Arnold and Helga who mostly resembled love-struck foals. "Arnold's gotta be one bold kid."

* * *

"Can we go skating again tomorrow?" Arnold asked and made a hiss.

"You've got lacerations, there's more blue than white on your skin and you want to go skateboarding?" Helga asked with a disbelieving grin as she cut the gauze. "If you really want to hurt yourself, we can go ice skating."

"What's ice skating?"

"Walking on ice with shoes with blades on them." Helga explained with a crooked smirk. "That's also all kinds of fun."

"Can we do that tomorrow then?"

"Sure, let's add some yellow to that blue." Helga joked and tied the gauze around Arnold's ankle. "You should have told me you had a sore ankle though! It'll only get worse if you don't rest it."

"I forgot."

"To tell me?"

"That I had a sore ankle."

Helga looked up at Arnold. "Criminy, you're as dense as a brick!" she declared humorously, slapped his knee and stood up. "You hungry?"

"Starving!" Arnold answered in excitement and followed her to the kitchen

"I'd ask you what you're in the mood for, but I probably don't have it."

"Something new."

"Isn't everything new? Can you really handle anymore?"

"Yes!" Arnold said and rolled his eyes. "I might be tired, but it's fun to learn about the world my parents grew up in."

"Speaking of which, how the hell did they end up in San Lorenzo anyway?" Helga asked while she started preparing what she needed to make Spaghetti Carbonara. Her more sadistic side figured it'd be fun to see him struggle with the utensils.

"My dad is an archeologist and my mom is a doctor and botanist." Arnold explained and got as close to Helga as possible in order to see what she was doing. "They met when my dad was traveling South America. My mom wanted to provide medical help to everyone in the world no matter where they are so she was there to help some people in need."

"That's amazing." Helga declared, but then turned around to gawk at Arnold. "Wait. Is San Lorenzo in South America then?"

"Huh? Oh, um…" Arnold muttered, trying to remember his parents' story. "I'm not sure. They started traveling together after that and didn't really settle down until they had me."

"It's worth mentioning to Phoebs though so she can tell Mr. Bailey." Helga stated and took her phone out of her pocket. She started tapping on it to Arnold's great confusion and when she noticed, she couldn't help but smirk. "This is called a phone and it's basically a connection to anyone I want to talk to. I'm writing a letter to Phoebe right now."

"On that?" Arnold asked and looked at the screen. "When will she get it then?"

"When I push send." Helga said and pushed the button. "Now she just has to see it and write a reply."

"And that's it?"

"That's it. Don't ask me how it works."

"That's amazing! So, no matter where people are, you can just tap a few buttons and you can contact them?"

"Pretty much." Helga replied and went to grab the spaghetti from her cabinet.

"Does that mean that if I get one of those, I can write to you when I'm back in San Lorenzo?" Arnold asked hopefully.

"Oh, well…" Helga mumbled awkwardly, wondering whether he just wanted this cool gadget or if it was the prospect of being able to contact her that was attractive. "Probably not. I mean, you don't have electricity in San Lorenzo, right? A phone will run out of power at some point and then it'll be useless."

"Oh…" Arnold said in understanding and his shoulders fell. If he had been a dog his ears would have been hanging.

"There's always normal letters?" Helga suggested, knowing very well that she had just made a commitment by pointing that out.

"That's true." Arnold said and seemed to perk up at the idea. A beeping sound interrupted the blondes though. "What is that?"

"My phone, Phoebe must have answered." Helga said and grabbed her phone. "She just mailed Mr. Bailey and told him about the South America thing. Tell me if you remember anything else, k?"

"K." Arnold agreed, wondering if it was possible to shorten that remark anymore.

Helga went back to cooking and Arnold went back to following her like a curious puppy. He watched over her shoulder, questioning her actions as time went by. He started noticing that her answers became more curt though so he assumed she was trying to concentrate and he kept quiet. Arnold was wrong though, what was distracting Helga wasn't his questions, but their proximity. She had never been so physical close to someone, not even Phoebe was stupid enough to get that close to her for more than a couple of seconds. Helga could feel her heart beating in her throat and she was starting to get clumsy when she decided to say something.

"Have you never heard of personal space?!" Helga hissed in disbelief.

Arnold flinched at the harsh tone in the abrasive blonde's voice and took a step back. "S-Sorry…"

Helga sighed. "Look," she started and twisted the knob on her stove until a circle on it turned red and Arnold had to keep his curiosity at bay. "I get that you're curious and want to see what I'm doing so ask all you want, but I can't concentrate when you're so close to me."

Arnold processed Helga's words for a moment before he nodded in understanding. "I felt the same way when we were on the skateboard earlier."

"Huh?" Helga hummed and looked at him, forgetting what she was about to do.

"When you were pushing me on the skateboard and when you held my hand…" Arnold explained with childlike innocence and scratched his neck, chuckling awkwardly. "I couldn't focus at all."

Helga could feel her cheeks heat up at the confession. "You… You're too honest, you know that?" she asked and rolled her shoulders, unsure what else to do with herself.

"You can be too honest?" Arnold asked in genuine confusion, unaware of what his words had meant or why Helga's cheeks were red again.

" _You_ can." Helga stated and looked back at him.

Arnold wasn't sure what it was he was feeling whenever the blonde girl looked at him. She gave him feelings he had never felt before and he didn't know where they were coming from. When she smiled at him, he could feel a smile spread on his own face as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He couldn't be angry or sad if she smiled at him like that. Perhaps that was why the fact that San Lorenzo was so far away didn't cross his mind.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: When did you realize that it was TJ, Vince and Spinelli who were making a cameo? xD Sometime ago, I don't remember at what story, someone gave me a review, mentioning they thought it'd be cool of I made a crossover between Hey Arnold! and Recess. Unfortunately, I don't remember Recess too much (so please tell me if there's any episodes mentioning skateboarding in Recess – I can edit that scene if it's ever mentioned that TJ skates more than Spinelli or something xD) so I can't do a legitimate crossover, but I decided to have them make a cameo! I don't have any plans to include them again, but never say never xD I have a party episode in mind so maybe I'll have them join that? :P**

 **Oh, and there's technically another Easter egg in this one, but it's better hidden than the one in the former chapter because the wording is actually different xD I think this one is way harder to notice honestly, maybe too hard ha-ha xD**


	5. New desire

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After deciding that it would be best for Arnold to join her in school, Helga took him shopping. While the clerk helped him, she called Phoebe to tell her about the surreal situation she was in and they decided to talk more about it once they were in class. Phoebe told them that she had already contacted Mr. Bailey, but he needed time off work before he could pay Phoebe back for the favor he owed her. In the meantime, all they could do was wait.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I'm sorry this one seemed to take particularly long! I went into one of my longer period of my chronic tension headaches acting up, which meant I didn't go to school and that means I didn't do much writing xD Most of my writing takes place in school in my notebook and then I write it into the computer at home. I'm capable of listening to the teacher while writing, don't worry ;P But enough! You've been waiting long enough for this chapter without me keeping you with unimportant chatter. Enjoy! :D**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 5: "New desire"

"You know, I'm pretty sure your skin is getting whiter." Helga said teasingly.

"Has not!" Arnold insisted as he looked his skin over. He had been in Hillwood for a long time now and the weather was only getting colder as Christmas was right around the corner. He was starting to seriously fear the changes his body was making. His skin turning lighter was one of his worries, but it was the changes on the inside that were freaking him out the most.

It seemed like whenever he was around Helga, which he was about 90% of the time, he started feeling things he didn't know he could feel. He'd never felt his heart beast so fast, she gave him shivers he couldn't ignore and he was thinking of her first and himself last. It was so crazy something in his life could be better than a dream. She made him happy and warm inside and when she smiled he got dizzy and starry-eyed. Every gesture, every move that she made made him feel like never before. Why did he have this growing need to be beside her?

"So, wanna go ice skating today?" Helga asked, pulling Arnold out of the web thoughts, she didn't know he had been caught in.

"Can we?" Arnold asked excitedly. He had been curious about ice skating since she mentioned it, but she had insisted they should wait until his ankle was better.

"If your ankle is up for it?" Helga asked with a crooked smirk.

"It is!" Arnold insisted. "Oh, wait. What about school?"

"It's Christmas, Arnold, so we're on holiday from today." Helga explained. "My only plans are Rhonda's obligatory Christmas party tomorrow."

"So, we can go ice skating today?"

"Yes, we can go ice skating today." Helga clarified as if talking to a slow child, but a wide smile was on her face the whole time. "But we should probably go shopping too. Rhonda's not gonna let you in the party if you're not fancy enough."

"Fancy?"

"You'll know what I mean when we go shopping. For now, let's focus on not resembling Bambi when we go skating."

"Must they be so uncomfortable?"

"Ice skates just are uncomfortable; you'll get used to it." Helga insisted and readjusted her white skates. "Come on."

Arnold walked clumsily on the snow until he reached the frozen pond. Helga had to explain to him more than once that the ice wouldn't break under his feet and he wouldn't fall in the water. Since falling through the waterfall, he noticed that the thought of swimming scared him. He hoped he wouldn't continue to feel like that. For now, he would focus on ice skating though. He halted before he reached the ice thought to look at Helga. She was already on the frozen pond, skating like it was second nature to her.

"Whoa…" Arnold said to himself when Helga twirled around herself and started skating backwards. "You don't think I can do that by the end of the day, right?"

"I'd be pretty bummed if you could do that on your first try." Helga said and stopped in front of him. He winced at the sound of her blades screeching on the ice, but relaxed at the sight of her holding her hands out for him. "Ready for the first step?"

Arnold felt shy about taking Helga's hands, but the idea of falling flat on his ass in front of her was a million times more embarrassing so he grabbed them both and stepped onto the ice. She skated backwards slowly, pulling him with her and steadying him whenever he wavered. She started skating a little faster once she felt that he felt more secure. Arnold didn't agree though and stumbled into Helga which caused her to stumble as well. The blondes ended on the ice to the amusement of some children nearby.

"G-Get off!" Helga stuttered and tried helping Arnold get up, but he slipped and fell back down on her chest. "Roll away."

Arnold did as told and rolled onto the ice and off Helga. She got up on her knees and grabbed the tree behind her. She then took Arnold's hand and hoisted them both up. In her impatience she made Arnold wobble and he pushed her up against the tree in an attempt to steady himself.

Helga tensed for a moment before skating away, leaving the tree to be Arnold's only leverage. Once he had steadied himself, he turned to look at Helga skating on the pond. Usually, he would have been hurt by her leaving him, but in this situation he felt a little relieved to be left alone. He took some deep breaths, hoping he could make this strange feeling, that also seemed to sneak up on him more often if he got close to Helga, go away. At the beginning, he thought it might be because he wasn't used to physical contact with others besides his parents, but recently one of the girls from the class had hugged him goodbye and he hadn't felt a thing. There was definitely something about Helga that made her different from others.

The sound of blades screeching on the ice caused Arnold to turn his body around to look, but he leaned against the tree to make sure he didn't fall again. Rather than offering him her hands, Helga grabbed them without a warning and pulled him along. "H-Helga!" Arnold said and struggled to stay straight. "M-Maybe we should give up?"

"Why?" Helga asked in honest confusion though it didn't show on her face. She stopped skating and waited for him to speak.

"W-Well, I just don't seem to be very good at this… and there's still a part of me that thinks the ice will break under us."

"Arnold, the chances of that happening are close to zero. Look over there." Helga said and cocked her head to the side. When Arnold looked, he saw a sign. "That sign says that the pond is safe. If it wasn't, there would be a sign saying it wasn't."

"But… who made the sign?"

"People who know about ice. Move it!" Helga declared in impatience and started skating again.

Arnold decided to obey Helga, thinking it might be to his own benefit as well. It wasn't that he minded skating with her and holding her hands after all. His fingers felt itchy somehow and whenever he moved them, she moved hers just a tiny bit as well, but they never looked at each other while they skated. There was a sort of intense electricity between them that made it impossible for their eyes to meet without stumbling.

"Well, if your body wasn't sore before, it sure is now." Helga stated as she helped Arnold get the skates off. He sighed in relief once his feet were free.

"It was fun though… Thank you for being so patient with me."

"Yeah, I should get a fucking medal." Helga agreed with a smirk and gave the skates back to the clerk. She took off her own and put them in her bag and stretched. "Want to go get some hot cocoa before we go shopping again?"

"What's cocoa?"

Helga smirked. "Boy, you're in for a treat. If San Lorenzo really is in South America though, you should know about cocoa beans."

"Maybe I do." Arnold agreed and followed Helga through the street.

Arnold couldn't remember feeling so tired and yet satisfied at the same time before in his life. Every day was filled with new experiences, both good and bad though mostly good, and he had never slept so thoroughly through the night thanks to them. He even liked the snow, but he wasn't too fond of the cold. He missed the weather in San Lorenzo and not having to wear all these clothes every time he went outside. Helga's house was warm though so he appreciated that. He started blowing on his hands to create some heat as he had seen Helga do before. He could feel her looking at him for a moment before she pulled her gloves off her hands and handed them to him.

"Put these on. They're made to make your hands stay warm."

Arnold took the gloves and pulled them over his fingers carefully. He wriggled his fingers, frowning slightly at the odd and somewhat tight feeling of having his fingers wrapped. "Thank you…" he said, but then looked at her. "Won't you be cold though?"

"I'm fine, I'm more used to the cold than you are." Helga dismissed and kept walking with her eyes straight ahead. Despite her assurances, Arnold felt guilty about hogging the gloves. He looked at them for a moment before taking the left one off and offering it to her. She looked at it in confusion for a moment before she took it with a sigh. "Great. So instead of one of us being cold and the other warm, you thought we'd both be half cold?"

"No." Arnold answered and waited until Helga had put the glove on before he took her unclad hand in his. She flinched in surprise and gawked at their hands. "Skin contact is the quickest way to warm up."

 _I don't think that's what's warming me up right now,_ Helga thought and looked at him. "How do you even know that?"

"My mom is a doctor." Arnold reminded her. "She's taught me a thing or two. Even though she thought I'd never need it."

"Huh…" was all Helga could think of saying and looked ahead. She could feel her arm go tense as she struggled between what she was supposed to do with her hand. She was feeling an instinctive need to squeeze his hand when she felt her muscles go stiff. Squeezing his hand sent a certain signal though so she kept her hand still, trying to seem casual, but failing miserably because her face was dead honest.

It was Helga's awkwardness that reminded Arnold why he should have felt awkward as well. He hadn't thought about his actions beforehand which was his handicap. He had only thought of being kind, of not letting Helga go cold while he'd be warm, but now he couldn't even look at her. He could feel that weird, tickling feeling again growing from the very core of his body and spreading like a wildfire over his skin. He wondered if he even needed the one glove at all.

"There's Slausen's." Helga stated and Arnold looked up. He was looking at what looked like a small café of some sort. On the windows, which Helga had explained to him what were the purpose of some time ago, there was writings that said _ice cream, coffee, sandwiches_ and so on. "Before you ask, ice cream is a very cold and sweet treat."

Arnold was already familiar with sandwiches and coffee so he had in fact been about to ask what ice cream was so he looked at Helga in slight surprise. "Can we try it?"

"We're only gonna get colder, but fine. I guess we can mix it with the cocoa too, depending on what taste you choose."

Arnold and Helga entered the shop and the blonde boy followed his companion absentmindedly as usual. He was taking in his new surroundings when he felt Helga nudge at him. He looked down at where she was pointing and saw a big row of different sorts of ice cream with their flavor attached as a sign. He read them all one by one and decided on the strawberry one since he often ate strawberries at home. He wondered how much it'd taste of strawberries though, being frozen and all.

"Strawberry is a funny choice with cocoa, but that's up to you." Helga said and tugged at their intertwined hands. She looked at them and blushed slightly. "You, uh, gonna let go so I can pay?"

"Oh, s-sorry." Arnold said, having not even noticed that he was still holding her hand, and let go. Once Helga had paid, they received their orders and carried their cocoas and ice creams to a booth. Arnold sat down next to Helga rather than across her which seemed to surprise her for a moment, but she scooted away to give him room anyhow. He looked curiously at her ice cream. "That was the vanilla one, right?"

"Yeah, perfect with cocoa." Helga replied, scooped some ice cream onto her spoon and let the vanilla ball fall into the cocoa. Arnold almost copied her with his strawberry ice cream, but she stopped him. She scowled at the pink ball. "Bad idea. Not with strawberry."

Arnold looked between her and the ice cream curiously. "Do you hate strawberries?" he asked curiously.

"It doesn't fit with cocoa, that's why I told you not to mix them." Helga replied and drank from her cocoa. "No, I don't hate strawberries, but I'm allergic to them."

"Allergic?"

"If I eat them, I get hives." Helga said and was about to explain what hives were, but Arnold already knew thanks to his mother's schooling.

"That's awful. So have you never eaten strawberries before?"

"Of course I have, how else would I know I'm allergic?" Helga asked and rolled her eyes at the question. "Come on, try it."

Arnold looked sullenly at his ice cream. Somehow, it didn't seem as appetizing anymore, but he figured that was weird. Nothing had changed after all. Besides, if he told Helga that after she had paid for them, he was sure she'd get annoyed and suspicious and he couldn't explain his change of heart to her anyway. So he scooped up the ice cream and tasted it. He could feel it melt and spread in his mouth and he shivered at the cold feeling, but when Helga asked him if he liked it, he nodded eagerly. He kept scooping it up, eating it zealously.

"Careful or you'll get - - " Helga started, but then Arnold groaned loudly and grabbed his head. "Brain freeze… You mustn't eat ice cream so fast or that'll happen."

"What do I do?!"

"Calm down, don't eat ice cream and maybe drink some cocoa." Helga suggested and Arnold drank the cocoa in one big gulp. "It's hot!" Helga warned, but too late and Arnold gasped in shock. He was starting to gain the attention of the other customers who were looking at Helga, silently questioning if she needed any help with him. "May I take this?"

Helga had asked as politely as she could, but didn't give the woman in the booth behind theirs any time to object before she had stolen a plastic cup and the water jug. She quickly poured Arnold the glass, forced him to drink it and gave the jug back to the woman. Helga plumbed back on the couch and watched as Arnold put the cup back on the table and gasped for air for a moment before he nodded.

"Now try again, but slowly. And you need to blow on the cocoa first before you drink from it." Helga stated and showed him what she meant. Arnold copied her like a baby bird copying its mother and blew on the cocoa. He then drank slowly from it and sighed in relief when it didn't burn his tongue as it had before. "See? Slowly with hot or cold things."

"Why is it this hot though? No one can drink something this hot…" Arnold mumbled, blew on it again and drank from it.

"Because there's boiled milk in cocoa. Or water, that depends on how you make it, but Slausen's use milk."

"Why not just heat it up the same way you do with the microwave?" Arnold wondered aloud.

"I'd do that too if we were making cocoa at home, but most people still boil it."

"Why?"

"Because that's how we're taught to do it. I don't know if there's a proper reason behind it besides that. Well, except that you shouldn't warm it up too much of course or else it'd might explode or something."

"Then… why do you microwave it?"

"Because I tend to ask myself why before I do something I was taught how to do without an explanation. If I can't think of a reason why I should do it that way, I find a new way that makes more sense to me." Helga explained. "Frankly, I can't understand why that's not a normal way to think."

Helga's words hit Arnold more than he'd like to admit. "I… I guess I'm one of those people who don't think about why they do what they do…" he admitted. He could feel Helga looking at him, but he didn't look back. "All my life, I've just been doing what my parents taught me, never questioning why… I mean, when I came here, I was sure that we were the only decent, white people out there. I'd only ever met poachers and not people like… well, like you…"

"Arnold, that… that's not what I meant." Helga insisted and put her mug down. "Well, it was what I meant, but the reason I think like this is because my parents almost never taught me anything, so I had to learn these things by myself anyway. It's normal to do what your parents do and believe them wholeheartedly. Mine just aren't that trustworthy."

Arnold looked back at Helga at those words, but was surprised to see that she was in fact still looking at him as well. He had expected her to have taken her mug again, pretending this conversation never happened as she usually did whenever her family became the topic. She definitely wanted to avoid them and Bob hadn't been let into the apartment since his last attempt at getting her to agree to join them for Christmas eve. He had tried several times by then, constantly putting the blame on Olga for forcing him out of the comfort of his house just to ask Helga to do something she continuously refused to do, but Helga hadn't let him in since then so he had just left his usual message at the door and left. At those times, Helga wouldn't look at Arnold for the next hour or so and she would be so eerily quiet that Arnold had figured that she went into doll mode whenever she was uncomfortable. He couldn't help but compare her to those creepy dolls he had once seen in a toy store and when Helga had explained him what they were back then, he had started seeing similarities between her and the dolls. Whenever she felt uncomfortable, her face would turn emotionless, she'd be quiet and even her movements seemed kind of mechanic. That was what he had become accustomed to whenever Bob visited.

This case was different though; Helga was looking at him, accepting the fact that this was an uncomfortable subject. Arnold couldn't help but wonder if this meant that she was slowly letting him in. He'd be happy if that was the case, but he felt that the hope was slim. He wasn't sure what this need to be closer to her meant, but he knew that she would push him away whenever they got too close; emotionally or physically. But this situation, her looking at him with so much determination in her eyes, could it mean that she trusted him, even just a little bit?

Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but he had no idea what to say. "I'm sorry…" was all he could think of and he mentally slapped himself. Whenever he'd admit that he was sympathizing with her because of her family situation, she'd shun him away. He was sure that the moment of trust had been ruined until Helga spoke herself.

"Thank you."

* * *

After that, Arnold and Helga had drank their cocoa and eaten their ice cream in silence, but it hadn't been an uncomfortable one. They had then gone shopping as Helga had promised, but this time she looked for suits together with Arnold. He had asked her if she was going to wear something like that too, but she told him that women were supposed to wear dresses, at least according to society's rules. She told him that if she turned up in pants at Rhonda's party, they'd both be kicked out immediately. With that being said, Helga didn't mind wearing dresses at all. In fact, that was all she wore as a child. It wasn't until she had gotten into puberty that she took a liking to more boyish clothes, but she still loved wearing dresses for other occasions. She already had her outfit chosen at home and Arnold couldn't help but look forward to seeing it.

At the 23rd December, around 6pm, Arnold was looking at himself in the mirror. His suit was what Helga had called standard, being black and with a white dress shirt underneath. She had told him to choose a tie himself though and he had chosen a red one since he knew red was a Christmassy color. He couldn't figure out how to tie it at all even though Helga had taught him several times and the clerk had even taught him as well when they bought it. He kind of liked the way the suit looked on him though, but the tie was bothering him so he walked out of the living room and knocked on the bedroom door.

"Helga? Are you finished? I… I can't tie the tie." Arnold admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed at having so much trouble with a piece of clothing.

"Criminy! How many times have I taught you already?" Helga asked from inside the room. "Just come in, I'm dressed already."

Arnold opened the door and walked inside. The sight he was met with caused his hands to fall from the tie he had been in the middle of trying to tie for the seventh time. Helga had her back turned to him, but he could see her reflection in the mirror. She was currently tying a tattoo choker around her neck that had a silver bow charm hanging as a charm. When she moved her arms down, her blonde, now curly hair fell down over her shoulders. She was wearing a red dress with a sweetheart neckline and black tulle under the knee-long skirt. Black bands made what looked like a star spreading from the middle of her chest and halfway over her breasts and down to her diaphragm. The big skirt had several layers of the red fabric placed in a way that made it seem like they were petals over her long, stocking-clad legs and each petal had black edges. On her feet were a pair of black ballerinas made of suede with wedges.

Helga turned around and walked towards Arnold, completely unaware of the ogling look he was giving her. "You're smart about some things and then you're just downright like a child with others." She said and started tying the tie around his neck.

Now that she was closer, Arnold could see that her face had changed. Her eyelashes were longer and more black than usual and she had what looked like black lines around her eyes that made them look bigger. Her lips were slightly redder, but in a darker shade than her dress and he could swear that her eyelids were glittering. He knew that the Green Eyes often used face paint during parties and he figured this was the same. Though it looked as different as if they were from separate worlds.

"There we go." Helga declared and patted Arnold's chest in satisfaction at her own work. "Then we're both ready, I think. You just need to put on the shoes. The cab will be here soon."

Arnold had heard Helga talk, but he hadn't understood what she had told him to do. He kept staring at her as she went back into the bedroom, crawled onto her bed and reached for a black purse. She was sitting on her knees while rummaging through it and Arnold couldn't tear his eyes off her. It wasn't until she turned around and gasped in shock when she saw that he was still here that he remembered what she told him to do and he jogged out of the room.

 _What was that?!_ Arnold wondered and sat down in the couch next to the front door and started putting the shoes on. He could feel his fingers tremble as he tried to tie the shoelaces. _What's wrong with me?_

"What's wrong with you?" Helga asked, echoing Arnold's thoughts. He looked up at her in slight shock and gulped at the sight of her. That sense of nervousness he already felt around her when she was just wearing her usual cool clothes had been tripled now that she was wearing what made her look like something more worthy of the Green Eyes' worship than he ever was. "Are you that shocked to see me wearing this?" she asked sarcastically, walked past him and grabbed her leather jacket. Once it was over her bare arms, she looked at him again and her shoulders slumped at the sight of his ogling. "You are."

Helga hadn't sounded accusing, but there was definitely a hint of something else besides confusion in her voice. She was gazing at him and he didn't know what else to do besides gaze back. He didn't have it in him to tear his eyes away like he had before. She then walked to the couch, put her hands on the armrest and leaned closer to him. Arnold wasn't sure why, but he leaned back, gulping at the sudden proximity. He struggled between looking into her blue eyes or at her red mouth.

"Arnold…" Helga said in a quiet voice and he subconsciously decided to look at her lips then. "Do you… Are you starting to - - "

A small, short-lived beeping sound caused both blondes to flinch. Helga leaned back and took her phone out of the pocket of her jacket and looked at the screen. She stated that the cab was there and they needed to hurry up. Arnold almost sighed in relief though he didn't know what the blonde girl had been about to ask him. The relief was short-lived though when she crouched in front of him. He jolted violently in surprise, but she just grabbed his other shoes and started putting it on his foot. He continued his work on the other shoe, figuring they were in a hurry after all. It made his heart beat uncomfortably hard in his chest though to feel her hair tickle his face.

Once both shoes were on his feet and the shoelaces were tied, Helga leaned back and was about to stand up until she saw Arnold looking at her with those eyes again. She looked up at him, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights. She had wondered why he had been staring at her like that the whole time, but then a thought a struck her. A thought that had never entered her mind before about anyone; perhaps he liked her? She had always been perceptive and good at reading people, but she had never experienced that look before, not in her direction at least. That was why she was unsure of her observational skills were leading her astray, but she couldn't think of any other reason behind his staring. She wasn't sure whether he liked her liked her though or if she was just the first girl he had ever had the chance to get this close to. All things considered, his adoration may be in lack of anyone else to compare to.

Arnold gulped as Helga kept gazing up at him like that. There was something in her eyes that told him that she was studying him and likewise, he was studying his own thoughts as well. He knew there was something he wanted, something he had wanted from her for a long time now, but the urge became stronger when she looked so intensely at him as she was then. He didn't know what it was that he wanted, what this urge was or what it wanted him to do. She seemed to be moving closer to him and he stayed still this time instead of moving away as he had before. When he could feel her breath on his lips, he closed his eyes automatically, the same way you would when the wind was strong outside. When he could feel her breath come even closer to his, he kept his eyes shut, wondering if his heart was beating so hard because he was about to understand what this new desire had been all this time.

They both gasped though when the vibration from Helga's pocket tickled her chest as much as it had tickled his. She moved back in slight shock, staring at Arnold as if she had just realized what she had been about to do. She gulped and grabbed the phone to look at it. She mumbled Phoebe's name with a hint of anger on her soft voice and put the phone back in her pocket. She was looking away now, the same way she usually did when she wanted to avoid an awkward situation. Arnold didn't know what else to do besides leaning to the side and smiling reassuringly at her. She looked at him in slight surprise, but gave a meek smile back before she stood up.

"Phoebe just said she and Gerald are already at Rhonda's mansion… We'd better get going." Helga stated. She then looked uneasily away for a moment before offering her hand to Arnold. He took it and let her help him up. He couldn't help but smile goofily at her though he wasn't sure why. She gave a very small smile in return, but then let go of his hand and walked out of the front door. Arnold readjusted his tie once more before he followed her.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: I don't have anything to say for the second author's note… so… wibble xD Virtual cookie for those of you who knows the reference xD And yes, I spelled it right ;) Oh, wait, there's also a virtual cookie for the one who can point out BOTH song quotes in this chapter ;D**

 **Oh, and if you're interested in seeing Helga's dress (without the tattoo choker though, I made that one up) you can send me a message on deviantArt or YouTube and I can send you the picture. doesn't allow links so I can't put it here.**


	6. Lullaby and goodnight

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **The more time Arnold spent with Helga, the more he felt some new feelings stir inside him. Those feelings started to spring to the surface whenever he and Helga got closer. When it was time to go to Rhonda's Christmas party, Arnold couldn't help but stare and feel tongue-tied around Helga because she looked different from usual. The tension rose and Arnold and Helga almost kissed, but a text from Phoebe pulled them out of the moment.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: New chapter! Nothing else to say really… xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 6: "Lullaby and goodnight"

The cab ride was mostly kept in silence since neither of the blondes knew what to say to each other. It was the cabdriver who broke the peace. "So, you two going to a Christmas party, eh?"

"Yes." Arnold's politeness caused him to say before he could think ahead. He was desperate to break the silence though. "I-It's my first Christmas party actually."

"Your first?" the man repeated and whistled. "You Jewish, kid?"

Helga snickered. "No, he just lives very far away." She responded and shook her head at Arnold when he silently questioned what Jewish meant. She figured she didn't need to confuse him with the different kinds of religion, she was afraid his head would explode from the new information he was constantly receiving.

"What kinda place doesn't know about Christmas?"

"San Lorenzo." Arnold answered before he could stop himself. Helga slapped his shoulder and he mumbled an apology.

"San Lorenzo? The heck is that?"

"A place that's never heard of Christmas." Helga answered curtly hoping her tone would make the cab driver stop asking questions. It did and the ride continued in silence until they reached Rhonda's mansion. Helga threw some money at the cab driver and ushered Arnold outside before the cabbie could tell her she had paid too much. Once she had slammed the door, she gave Arnold a bit of a look. "Put it on the newspaper, will you?"

"Sorry. I guess I'm too used to your classmates knowing." Arnold explained and turned around to look at the mansion. He stumbled back in shock. "How many people live here?!"

"Rhonda and her parents… well, and their servants."

"Servants?"

"Slaves." Helga clarified and Arnold stared at her in shock. "I'm kidding… mostly."

Arnold and Helga walked towards the mansion and Helga showed the extravagant invitation to the butler before they were let inside. They were met by another butler who offered them a glass of champagne and Helga shook her head in response. The butler looked offended, but Helga walked past him anyhow. When the butler offered Arnold a glass he shook his head as politely as he could before he followed Helga like a lost child.

"What was in those glasses?"

"Alcohol, something that makes your brain go nuts." Helga explained somehow hatefully. Arnold wanted to ask what she meant, but then a smile spread on her face and she waved. "Hey, Phoebs!"

Arnold looked up and saw that Phoebe and Gerald were waving at them. He quickly waved back. "Hi, Gerald!" he greeted and saw the darker boy lift his hand. They bumped their fists while wiggling their thumbs, something Gerald had come up with. Arnold thought it was fun to have this odd handshake though he wasn't sure if there was an actual purpose behind it besides it being fun.

"Helga, Arnold!" Rhonda greeted and appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She was wearing a big, flashy, green gown that had Christmas written all over it. "Oh, where's your champagne?"

"We didn't take any." Helga answered brusquely.

Rhonda's shoulders slumped. "Oh, come on. Not even a glass of champagne on Christmas?"

"No."

"Well, you can't force your beliefs on Arnold!" Rhonda insisted. "He might never get the chance to taste fine champagne ever again."

"He won't be missing out on anything." Helga insisted.

Arnold wasn't sure why there always seemed to be sparks between those two, but he knew he didn't like being caught in the middle. "I-I really don't mind, Rhonda." He insisted and the two girls looked at him. "Helga told me that champagne makes you feel weird so I trust her."

The relieved smile on Helga's face was worth having to go between the two girls. Rhonda sighed though. "Fine, whatever, but you're drinking on New Year's Eve."

"Not me." Helga stated matter-of-factly before sitting down in the couch next to Phoebe. Arnold shrugged at Rhonda, unsure what else to do and sat down next to Helga.

"You know, you'd have a lot more fun visiting Hillwood if you hung out with someone besides Helga." Rhonda hissed and walked away with her nose held high.

"Oh, yeah." Helga said sarcastically and raised her voice. "Because _you're_ such good company!"

"Helga." Phoebe said gently and Helga leaned back in the couch, sulking for a moment. After confirming that the blonde had calmed down, Phoebe smiled knowingly at Arnold. "So, Arnold… Did Helga finally let you go ice skating?"

"Yes! And it was so much fun, but also really tiring." Arnold answered excitedly.

"Not so tiring that you couldn't go on for hours though." Gerald stated and made the same knowing smirk his girlfriend was making.

"Yeah, because it was a lot of fun - - "

"Hold on, Arnold." Helga interrupted and looked suspiciously at the couple. "How do you know we were skating for hours?"

Gerald and Phoebe looked at each other and snickered. "We saw you." They admitted in unison.

Helga got a wild look in her eyes, but Arnold just felt confused. "Why didn't you say hi?" he asked innocently.

"We didn't want to interrupt." Phoebe said, struggling to keep her laughter at bay.

 _Interrupt?_ Arnold repeated in his mind, still unsure what the hidden meaning behind the conversation was. Something was clearly flying over his head.

Helga kicked at Phoebe's foot and the shorter girl yelped in surprise. "Change the subject, Phoebe." The blonde ordered.

"Changing!" the Asian girl squeaked agreeably. Gerald rolled his eyes at Helga's dismissing attitude, but was also smiling. "What have you two planned tomorrow?"

"Good evening." A sugary voice said and appeared behind Gerald and Phoebe. Helga made a small frown at the sight of the redheaded sugar plum fairy in front of her, but said nothing. "Are you talking about tomorrow? Helga, you know that you are still ever so welcome to join daddy and myself for Christmas. Arnold too, of course."

"No thanks, Lila." Helga said. "You and your dad can barely afford a turkey, we wouldn't want to impose."

"Oh, but it seems ever so sad to celebrate Christmas without your family." Lila bellowed.

"Not with my family, it isn't." Helga hissed under her breath.

"It must be so difficult." Rhonda said with a dramatic sigh, appearing behind Lila. "To be so loathsome that not even your own family wants to celebrate Christmas with you."

"I don't want to be around them either, princess." Helga argued coldly. Arnold knew her well enough to see that she was getting annoyed though.

"Keep telling yourself that, maybe it'll hurt less in like a decade." Rhonda said in a sarcastically mocking tone.

Arnold twitched. "If she wanted to, she could have said yes one of the million times her dad's come over to ask her to join them for Christmas." He informed out of irritation. Rhonda wasn't all bad, but she loved to provoke and Arnold felt that he couldn't shut up when Helga was the target of the ravenette's sharp tongue. The eyes Helga sent him though weren't grateful as he has expected.

"What?" Lila questioned in a low, baffled voice. "I thought you weren't talking to them?"

"I'm not!" Helga hissed "They just haven't gotten the message!"

"Wait. So they _do_ want to spend Christmas with you? Gerald asked in confusion.

"No!" Helga answered. "Olga sends Bob over to ask me every year, but that's because it looks wrong that one child isn't there. It's all about appearance, as always."

"… Every year?" Gerald repeated.

Helga realized her mistake and groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But, Helga, I always thought that your family left _you_." Lila said. "Doesn't this mean they are finally reaching out to you; isn't that what you want?"

"No, Lila. It's really not." Helga insisted.

Rhonda huffed. "And here I was, feeling sorry for you and then it turns out you're the spoiled brat." She said before she walked away.

"Takes one to know one!" Helga yelled at her and snorted. "And if that was sympathy, I don't wanna know what she's like when she's lacking it… I don't see what the big deal is."

"The big deal is that your family is finally changing and you didn't even tell us!" Gerald said.

"Changing, are you kidding me, Tall Hair Boy? Every time it seemed like any of them were changing, they went back to their old ways within a week! Why would this be any different?"

"They've been asking you for years, haven't they?"

"Yeah! Because Mary Freaking Sunshine wants me to be part of their dollhouse. It's not me she wants, it's her baby sister."

"But you're her baby sister."

"What Helga means, Gerald," Phoebe interfered calmly. "is that Olga doesn't want Helga to join them for Christmas because she _wants_ Helga to be there, but because she thinks she _should_ be there."

Gerald leaned back in the couch, pouting like a child since he had lost the argument.

"With that being said…" Phoebe muttered and looked back at Helga. "I think it might be best to at least consider it, Helga."

The blue eyes belonging to the blonde girl widened considerably. "Phoebe?!" she said in shock.

"I-I know, Helga, it's just… um…" Phoebe said unsurely and looked at Lila for help.

"Oh! Um…" the redhead said and hummed for a moment before smiling widely. "What about Arnold?"

Arnold could feel his heart leap into his throat at the sound of his name. He had been trying to change the subject, feeling extremely guilty for having put Helga in an awkward position, but it had been almost impossible to interfere. Now Helga was looking at him though and all he could do was stare back.

"What about Arnold?" Helga asked with one eyebrow quirked and she looked back at her friends. And Lila.

"He won't ever get the chance to experience a real Christmas eve ever again." Lila pointed out and nudged at Phoebe.

"Right! Helga, as much as you might not care that much for Christmas or your family then Arnold won't ever get a chance like this again." Phoebe pointed out kindly. "Would a few hours tomorrow really be such a horror if it's for his sake?"

 _Why do they think I could motivate Helga to spend Christmas with her family?_ Arnold briefly wondered and looked at Helga who was biting her lower lip. "H-Helga," he said and she looked at him. "I really don't want you to feel obligated because of me or something. I look forward to celebrate Christmas with you, even if it isn't traditional. I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to."

Helga gazed at Arnold for an undefinable amount of time before she rolled her head and groaned. "Fine… We'll go to my parents for Christmas." She said in a bitter voice.

Arnold blinked in confusion while the others smiled triumphantly to each other. "H-Helga, I really don't want you to feel - - "

"I said _fine_." Helga argued and looked back at Arnold. She smiled slightly at him. "Maybe this will keep them off my back until next Christmas at least."

While Helga grabbed her phone to text Olga that she was coming tomorrow night with a guest, Arnold wondered why she was doing this. She had been so stubborn about not even letting Bob inside the apartment, had ranted more than once about how much she wished they'd just leave her alone and now she had suddenly changed her mind? Something told Arnold that it was because of him, but he didn't understand how he could change her mind, especially after insisting that he didn't need a traditional Christmas. In fact, it made him a little nervous to be surrounded by not just strangers, but strangers who made Helga so uncomfortable. Suddenly, he wasn't sure what to expect of his first Christmas eve.

* * *

It didn't take long before the Christmas vibe had caught up with the youngsters and Arnold was quick to catch up with the atmosphere. He loved the food that was served and Helga was good at answering his questions and just for entertaining him in general. He didn't realize it, but despite being around more than 30 people all night, it was Helga who had his full attention. If she had been wearing a shell before, she was out of it now and he felt more and more infatuated with her by the minute.

"Try this." Helga said several hours into the evening. Arnold was standing in front of her, drinking from his apple cider when she suddenly showed him what looked like a human-shaped cookie. "It's called gingerbread."

Helga lifted the gingerbread to Arnold's mouth and like a dog, he took a bite off it. They both chuckled as he chewed on it experimentally. "It's good!" he bellowed childishly and laughed again. Helga placed her teeth on the gingerbread, planning to take a bite, but then started to laugh again and let her teeth stay like that. Somehow, the sight sent a shiver through Arnold.

"Hey! Look who's caught under the mistletoe!" Harold yelled in a singsong voice and laughed manically. Those who heard him, which was almost everyone thanks to his loud voice, looked around to find the mistletoe.

"What's a mistletoe?" Arnold asked as he put his glass away on a table.

"It's this little plant you hang in the ceiling." Helga answered as she looked around, still munching on her gingerbread. Arnold joined the other guests in looking for the mistletoe and since it was supposed to hang in the ceiling, he figured looking directly above him would be the logical thing to do. When he saw a little green plant with a red bow around it, he poked Helga's shoulder. She looked up. "Oh, there it is." She stated, not truly grasping her situation yet.

"Now what?" Arnold asked and smiled innocently. "What does it mean to be caught under the mistletoe?"

"The two people who are caught under the mistletoe have to…" Helga started, understood what she was about to explain and went quiet. She stared at Arnold in mortified silence, her last bit of gingerbread falling down to the floor. _Crap_.

"Oh, look!" Sheena said. "It's Arnold and Helga who are under the mistletoe."

"I've been waiting for this all night!" Sid bellowed, smacked his hands together and rubbed them joyfully.

"Oh, dear…" Lila said with a hand in front of her mouth and looked at Phoebe who seemed to struggle between smiling or joining Lila's worry.

"Well, come on, miss Helga." Stinky said and snickered. "Teach Arnold what a mistletoe is for."

"Yeah, come on, Helga!" Harold agreed and whistled.

"This is gonna be fun." Rhonda said and nudged at Nadine who giggled joyfully.

Arnold switched between looking at the guests as they all encouraged Helga to do whatever standing under the mistletoe meant. He looked back at her, wanting to ask what all the fuss was about, but she refused to meet his gaze. Her face was tense, her chin clenched and her cheeks were flushed. The more the others cheered for them, the more worried Arnold got. Was he supposed to be scared?

"Oh, shut up!" Helga shouted and a few guests quieted down, but most teens were still cheering excitedly. A rhythmic echo of _do it_ started to spread like domino and Helga glared at them all. She finally looked in Arnold's direction and saw the look of honest confusion on his face as he looked at their peers. When he felt her looking at him, he turned to look at her, waiting for whatever she would decide to do. Helga took a moment to bite her lower lip before she took a couple of steps forward, close enough for Arnold to feel her breath like he had earlier that night. "Sorry."

Arnold wanted to ask Helga what she was apologizing for when he saw that she closed her eyes. He stayed perfectly still as she leaned forward until he felt a soft pressure against his lips. He blinked a couple of times, feeling his heart vaulting inside his chest as he realized that he was being kissed. Time felt frozen and Arnold didn't dare move a muscle. The blonde boy knew that the people around them were hollering, whistling and cheering, but every sound felt hollow to him. He could feel his vision blurring and his eyelids shut on their own. The realization that he loved whatever this was suddenly dawned on him and he leaned against Helga's lips, wanting to feel more.

"Whoa! Save some for New Year's Eve, will you?!" Sid shouted, earning an instant elbow to his stomach from Patty. "Ow! What did I do?"

Helga gasped and leaned back, staring at Arnold. Sid's shouting had pulled her out of the enthralling moment instantly, but Arnold was still a bit caught up on it. It took him a moment to get his eyes fully open and look properly at Helga. They stared at each other, one in shock and the other in muddle. Arnold though had never felt closer to finding out what his new feelings were all about.

* * *

The drive home to Helga's apartment was in complete silence. Arnold was entirely enthralled in his own thoughts and he caught himself touching his lips from time to time. _So that's what a real kiss is…_ He thought and stole a glance at Helga. It was as if she could feel his eyes on her though because she suddenly looked at him as well. Both blondes flinched and looked out of their designated windows instead. Arnold had a hard time breathing and his heart kept switching between going to his stomach and to his throat. How was he supposed to act?

When the cab stopped, Arnold followed Helga to the front door after she had paid the cabbie. He made sure there was some space between them, fearing however his body would react to being close to her after this. He finally understood what this new desire was, at least to a certain degree and he could feel it getting stronger after getting a taste of it. Once the door was unlocked, Arnold hurried inside and started untying his shoes. He kept his eyes glued to his finger work, but he could feel Helga's scrutinizing eyes on him. He wondered if she knew; whether how much he had loved that kiss was shining through and if she was disgusted by it. He wondered if it was wrong to want something this badly without even knowing what it was or what it meant.

"You know," Helga spoke almost softly, but Arnold could hear the hiss in her voice. "if I had known you would hate it that much, I would have been a bit more stubborn about not doing it."

Arnold looked up in surprise. _Hate it?_ He thought and met Helga's eyes. They were as hateful as he had feared, but not for the reason he thought. _She thinks I hated it?_

"I…" he started saying. "I didn't… hate it."

Helga quirked an eyebrow. "Then why won't you look at me?"

"I'm looking at you right now."

"You're not funny, Football Head."

Arnold flinched at the harsh tone. "I… I really didn't hate it…" he confessed, but he wondered how much he should confess. Could he tell her how much he liked it? Would that be weird or would she be happy? Did she like it too? What if she didn't? All these strange questions were swimming around in Arnold's head in a sea of doubt; how was he supposed to know?

"Then why are you acting so weird?" Helga asked and crossed her arms. For the first time, Arnold could see a hint of vulnerability in the blonde girl's blue eyes and he didn't know how to interpret that.

"I'm not… acting weirder than you." He insisted and looked down at his half-tied shoes. He had forgotten about taking them off. "You didn't say a word on the way home either."

"That's because you didn't talk!"

"I didn't talk because you didn't talk!" Arnold lied and looked back up at Helga. She seemed like she had more to say, but then she sighed as if giving up and headed towards the kitchen. Arnold watched her until she disappeared out of his sight and then continued to untie his shoes, wondering how it ended up like this. _Way to go, Arnold, put it on her_.

A beeping sound caught Arnold's ears and he looked towards the kitchen. It was a short one so he figured it wasn't a call, but a text or a mail. He put his shoes back in place and headed for the kitchen. Helga was reading something on the phone and her eyes seemed to widen the more she read. Arnold was about to say something, but then she turned around, saw him and gasped. She put her hand over her heart and sent him a hateful look. He mumbled a small apology for having surprised her, but she didn't seem willing to take that discussion up again. She looked back at her phone and gulped.

"What is it?" Arnold asked worriedly. _Is it her sister? Her dad, mom? Did they change their minds and don't want her to join them for Christmas after all? No, that can't be it; they've been so stubborn about it, why would they change their mind the minute she agrees?_

"Mr. Bailey just wrote…" Helga said and looked up at Arnold. "He, uh… He found out where San Lorenzo is."

Arnold blinked in surprise. "W-Well, great!" he insisted and smiled. "Where is it then?"

Helga looked back at the phone, biting her lip. "You were right… it is in South America." She answered and Arnold made a small frown. She didn't look happy or relieved that they had finally found out where he lived. She looked back up at him and sighed. "Arnold… you're more than 3000 miles away from home."

Arnold didn't choose to do this; his shoulders slumped on their own. "That's… very far away… isn't?"

Helga nodded. "And also… it's like I thought, there aren't exactly any ships that go to San Lorenzo and those that do are probably owned by poachers. You'd have to sneak onboard, hide there until you reach the shore and even then, we can't be sure that they're actually going to San Lorenzo. Poachers try not to hunt the same places so they won't get caught so the chance of them going to San Lorenzo anytime soon are close to zero…"

"But… But what about the person who brings my letters to my grandparents? There must be someone who knows how to travel back and forth!"

"But who, Arnold? I don't know him and Mr. Bailey says nothing else in his mail, meaning he hasn't found anything else. If he's got nothing, we've got nothing."

"H-His name is Eduardo."

"Arnold, that's… that's not enough. If you knew his last name then maybe - - "

"I don't!"

"Well, then I can't help you!" Helga shouted with as much fervor in her voice as Arnold had used. She felt just as frustrated as Arnold did, having promised to help him find his way home and now she couldn't help him after all. Mr. Bailey had even said he didn't know the exact coordinates, which meant that all he had found out was that San Lorenzo was an isolated island somewhere in South America. That was all Mr. Bailey had found out and it wasn't nearly enough.

Arnold could feel his lip quivering and he looked away. _This can't be happening. Please tell me this isn't happening_. He backed away, shutting his eyes tightly. He could feel his body shaking as he turned around and ran out of the kitchen. He heard Helga call his name, but he continued until he reached the bedroom anyhow. He threw himself on the bed on the floor. He grabbed his pillow and held it tightly to his chest. He told himself not to cry, but he could feel the tears streaming onto the pillow already.

On the other side of the door, Helga was leaning against it while listening to Arnold's sobs. She put her hands in front of her face and groaned in frustration before she headed into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, snorting at the sight of the smudged makeup around her eyes. She went towards the clean laundry and grabbed an oversized pink t-shirt with black graffiti on it. She got undressed quickly and put the t-shirt on. She cleaned her face in the wash and took a deep breath. She looked at herself in the mirror again, wondering what she was supposed to do now.

"When in doubt, call your smart Asian friend." Helga muttered to herself, grabbed her phone from the laundry basket, cursing her name for forgetting it in there in the first place and chose Phoebe's name on the display. "Phoebe, help."

Phoebe, who had been in the middle of untying her hair from the bun, hadn't had the chance to even make a sound before Helga spoke. "Help with what?" she asked and shook her black hair loose. "Is Arnold acting weird after the kiss?"

"The kiss? Phoebe, that was a problem ages ago!" Helga answered with a sigh. "I'm talking about Mr. Bailey's answer. He just mailed us, San Lorenzo _is_ in South America and there are no ships going there! Arnold's chances of getting home just went from 1 to 0 on scale from 100! He's crying in the bedroom now and I don't know what to do."

Phoebe blinked a couple of times, processing the information. "Well, you must comfort him, Helga."

"Yeah, thanks, Phoebs." The blonde hissed sarcastically. "I'm asking you how! You know I'm not sensitive and all that crap."

"I know."

"Hey!"

Phoebe chuckled. "Well… just let him talk. Helga, you're not as bad at this as you think. Remember when I was promoted to 6th grade back when we were in 4th? When those girls just used me for my brains and then threw me away, you were right there comforting me when I was crying."

Helga blinked. "You may have been painting that memory a little pinker, Phoebs. What actually happened was that you overheard me admitting I wished I had treated you better and then _you_ came out and apologized."

"And later you made a fool of them in front of the entire school."

"Oh, right. That was fun." Helga admitted and chuckled.

Phoebe laughed as well. "See? You might not be a fan of mushiness, but you have your own way of making people feel better, Helga."

"But ruining someone's face for an undefined amount of time isn't going to comfort Arnold."

"You'll figure out something else. If you don't mind my saying then you're actually pretty good at that." she told her honestly.

Helga smiled at her reflection. "Thanks, Phoebs…" she said and sighed. "Ok, I'm ready to take him on. I'll call you tomorrow, ok?"

"Goodnight, Helga. Good luck!"

"I'll need it." Helga replied before she hung up. She took a deep breath and then walked out of the bathroom. She stopped in front of the bedroom for a moment though, wondering what she was supposed to say anyway. Then she remembered Phoebe's words and walked in. Arnold was sitting on his mattress, looking at his amulet, but that wasn't what caught Helga's attention; it was the melody he was singing. She recognized it. "Sweet song."

Arnold flinched and let his amulet fall down on his pillow. He made a low gasp and smiled. "Now you scared _me_." he joked and grabbed the amulet again.

"Revenge." Helga stated and walked past him towards her bed. She sat down and tried again. "Sweet song. How do you know it?"

"My parents used to sing it to me when I was a kid… or when I was sad." Arnold said melancholically, but then looked at Helga over his shoulder. "Do you know it?"

Helga nodded. "My parents didn't sing it to me, but I still know it." she confirmed and started humming. " _Lullaby… and goodnight… Sweet dreams and… sleep tight_."

Helga didn't notice this, but while she was singing, Arnold had turned around and was sitting on his knees. He was listening to her intensely until she opened her eyes and gasped at the sight of him staring at her. "Oh, sorry!" he apologized and sat back a little bit. "Um… I-I'm sorry… Goodnight."

Helga watched as Arnold lied down on the bed, with his back turned to her. Because she was a bit above him though, she could see that he was staring at his amulet. She turned off the lights and turned her back to him, but she couldn't calm down. It was like she had just been presented with the thing that could comfort him, but it was one of the most awkward scenarios she could think of. She made a small, uncertain sound before she sighed.

"Um… Arnold, would… would it make you feel better if… if I sang that song?" Helga asked awkwardly and played with her duvet. Arnold rolled around on his bed and looked at her. "Because… if that's the case, I guess I could… sing it."

"Really?!" Arnold asked overzealously and sat up on his bed.

Helga jolted violently and turned around to glare at him. "Don't get that excited about it, it's awkward enough already!" she screamed and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. _This is to make him feel better…_ She reminded herself.

"Sorry." Arnold said and lied back down, staring at her with big, puppy-like eyes. He held the amulet close to his chest and played absentmindedly with it, but his eyes were glued on her.

Helga sighed, feeling her cheeks heat up. "O-Ok…" she said, gulped and closed her eyes. " _Lullaby… and goodnight… Sweet dreams and… sleep tight… Know we love you, more each day… while you sleep and while you play… You're so sweet… through and through… Stay off the slide till you're two_."

Helga opened her eyes slowly, unsure what sight to anticipate. The vision of Arnold sleeping soundly wasn't high on the list of things she had expected to see though. She lied back down on her pillow and smiled to herself. Now that things had calmed down, she realized that she felt a little relieved that Arnold's journey home seemed further away.

Helga's eyes widened at that thought and she sat up to look at Arnold. "Oh, no… this can't be happening…" she said to herself, her blue eyes staring at the boy next to her. She lied back down and threw her duvet over her entire body. "Crap…"

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: I still don't have a lot to say for the author's note, but there's something I would love to remind my lovely reviewers of. I have in the past mentioned that I love being told that people enjoy my stories – of course I do, doi – but there are certain reviews that tend to stress me out more than encourage me. And one of those are the "please update soon" reviews. Now, I understand that those of you who write that are just eager for the next chapter and that of course makes me very happy, but every time I get a review like that, I can feel my stress level rising. It doesn't encourage me, it stresses me. I update whenever the next chapter is ready, it's not like I keep them bottled up on the computer and only update whenever I feel like it xD I'm updating as fast I feel like I can without it becoming a chore, so please just keep that in mind when reviewing please :)**


	7. In front of a stranger

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **Arnold and Helga went to Rhonda's Christmas party and Arnold accidentally told the guests that Helga's dad had been insisting that she joined them for Christmas. After some persuasion from her friends, Helga agreed to take Arnold to a proper Christmas eve with her family even though Arnold himself wasn't sure if he wanted to be around people that made Helga so uncomfortable.**_

 _ **At the party, Arnold learned yet another strange tradition of the civilized world when he and Helga were caught under the mistletoe. Arnold received his first kiss and a glimpse of what this new strange feeling he had been feeling lately wanted him to do.**_

 _ **When Arnold and Helga came home though, they finally got the answer they had been waiting for; San Lorenzo was indeed in South America, but that was everything Mr. Bailey could tell them and that meant that the journey back home for Arnold was very far away. Luckily, Helga was able to comfort him.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: A guest reviewer asked in the former chapter, if Helga shouldn't know that Arnold liked it since he kissed her back? Yes, technically you're right, but keep in mind that Arnold was dead frozen through most of the kiss and didn't start kissing back until the very end of it and it was just before Sid interrupted them. Helga literally didn't have more than a second's chance to notice him kissing back ;)**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 7: "In front of a stranger"

Arnold may have been known as a dense guy. A person who wasn't good at reading the mood, between the lines or figuring out what people were thinking if they weren't completely obvious about it. But it would have taken an idiot of epic proportions not to be able to sense the dark aura surrounding Helga on the evening that was supposed to bring joy to everyone. Arnold had felt it since they woke up that very morning. The fact that Helga had been silent had been his first clue. The next was when she seemed to be angry at everything she touched; the duvet, the door, the refrigerator and the food as she prepared it for them both were all either thrown away, slammed or pushed around as if they were the reason for everything wrong in life. Arnold knew what was wrong, but when he tried to tell her that they really didn't have to go, she insisted she would be fine and went on with assaulting her breakfast.

The day had gone by slowly, Arnold doing his best to entertain himself for the first time since he met Helga. She switched between sleeping, reading or being on her phone and was clearly not in a sociable mood. So Arnold spent the day going through her books and movies. He particularly loved the cartoon movies because they were unlike anything he had ever seen. They were usually pretty silly and he wasn't sure if he understood the humor in them at all times, but just to be able to see drawings move around was a miracle in its own way. He could still remember the first time Helga had turned on the TV; he had been ready for the apocalypse when he saw little people move around inside the box. He was used to it now though and enjoyed the movies Helga would watch with him. On this day though, he realized that movies weren't as fun if you were watching them on your own.

When the time had finally arrived and both Arnold and Helga had changed into their Christmas evening attire, Arnold once again told Helga they didn't have to go. She seemed to consider his words for a moment before she gave a weak smile and stated once again that she would be fine. Then they had gone outside and walked down the road to the Pataki's house. Once they were in front of it, Arnold looked it over and gulped. There was a really cold feeling to it and not because of the season.

"Ok, there's only one rule tonight." Helga said and looked at Arnold over her shoulder. "No matter what, _don't_ say anything."

Arnold knew Helga's words didn't mean he wasn't allowed to talk, but that there were certain situations when he would need to keep his thoughts to himself. He figured he would recognize those situations when they appeared. If not, Helga would be sure to tell him. Arnold nodded reassuringly, silently swearing that he would do whatever he could to make this evening run as smoothly as possible. They moved towards the door and Helga lifted her hand to the doorbell, sighed and finally pushed the button.

The woman who opened the door made Arnold do a mental backflip. "Baby sister!" the woman, wearing a golden silk dress with a huge bow on her back, exclaimed and pulled Helga into a bone crushing hug. "I've missed you so much, dear Helga!"

"Yeah! Got it! Let me go!" Helga said in a choked voice and sighed in relief once she was back on the ground.

"And this must be Arnold?" the woman asked when she saw Arnold. "Oh, you are such a cutie pie! You make the cutest couple!"

Helga looked away in shame and Arnold coughed awkwardly. "N-Nice to meet you." He said and felt himself flush bright red. Helga had explained to him that the only way she could ever convince her family to let her bring someone else to a family holiday was if that someone was a boyfriend, meaning an indirect part of the family. Arnold had accepted the condition easily, but now that he was actually standing in front of Helga's family, he felt a bit shy about pretending to be Helga's boyfriend.

"You are just the sweetest! I'm Olga, Helga's big sister." Olga presented herself and ushered the blondes inside. "Mommy, daddy, Helga is here!"

"Sure was on freaking time!" Bob shouted before he appeared in the hallway, wearing an apron and holding a tea pot in his mitts-clad hands.

"Whoa, how long have I been gone?" Helga joked and couldn't help but snicker at the sight of her dad.

"Take over, Helga! I'm not a housewife!"

"Do _I_ look like one?!"

"You're a woman, aren't you?"

"That is the rudest - - " Helga exclaimed in defiance, but automatically grabbed the tea pot when Bob shoved it into her embrace. The pot was boiling hot though and Helga's bare skin couldn't stand the heat, so she dropped it to the floor, spilling its contents on the carpet.

"Oh, no!" Olga exclaimed unhappily.

"Look what you've done, Helga!" Bob said angrily and threw his apron off.

" _Me_?!" Helga asked in disbelief before the apron was thrown at her.

"I'm gonna watch TV." Bob declared, ignoring his youngest daughter and went into the living room.

"Helga, would you be a dear and clean this mess while I go back to the kitchen?" Olga asked with a sugary smile on her face.

"Sure, why not?" Helga asked with a tense smile on her face. Olga poked her nose before she left and Helga growled. "We've only been here one minute and I already wanna strangle them!"

Helga looked at her hands and Arnold noticed how red her palms were. He grabbed her wrist gently and looked at her. "Are you ok?" he asked worriedly.

"Are you asking because of the pain or the pains in the ass?" Helga asked jokingly. "I'm fine… I've lived here the majority of my life, you'd think I was used to it by now."

Arnold looked at Helga sadly. "Want me to get a wet towel for you or something?" he asked and was about to head for the bathroom, but felt Helga grab his hand and stop him.

"No." she told him sternly. "That's another rule… Don't leave me alone tonight. I can't be alone in this house."

Arnold blinked a couple of times before he nodded. Somehow, he felt happy to be given that specific order. He stayed behind with Helga to clean the carpet and then went into the kitchen with her. Inside were Olga and an older woman Arnold assumed was Helga's mother, Miriam. The woman looked extremely tired and was moving so slowly that her oldest daughter would be finished with Miriam's and her own tasks before Miriam could even begin her next chore. She finally declared that she needed a smoothie and went towards her blender. Helga had then asked Olga if she wasn't going to tell Miriam no since it was Christmas, but Olga had insisted she didn't know what she talked about and continued cooking. Arnold had wondered what was wrong with a smoothie, but wasn't given the chance to ask Helga before they were both made into Olga's little helpers.

Arnold did his best to keep Helga's spirits high, chatting with her as they cooked. Helga even seemed to be caught up in their conversation from time to time, but even at the sound of a family member's voice would put the scowl back on her face instantly. Arnold kept trying though, kept doing his fullest to distract her and help her forget their surroundings. He had promised that to himself after all.

"Ok, baby sister, I don't think we can do much else besides waiting right now, so how about we all move into the living room and open presents?" Olga asked and clapped excitedly as she ushered the younger blondes out of the kitchen.

"I thought presents were for the 25th?" Arnold asked in a low voice even though he hadn't been sure before they had left and had in fact brought his present for Helga with him. He didn't want to risk sitting there without a gift for her in case he had misunderstood.

"Tell _her_!" Helga answered and cocked her head back at Olga who wasn't listening to them. Once they were all seated around the table, Helga crossed her arms. "I don't have any presents for you guys. We didn't decide to join you before last night after all."

"Oh, that's fine, baby sister." Olga said with a wide smile.

"We didn't get you anything either." Bob declared a little coldly before he shoved a huge, gallantly-wrapped present in front of Olga who started opening it eagerly.

"I actually have something for you." Arnold said with a small frown in the direction of Helga's family. He could feel them all looking at him in surprise and Olga seized her unwrapping.

"Really?" Helga asked in surprise as Arnold started rummaging in his pocket. _Crap, I didn't think about getting him anything_ , Helga thought. _I'll figure something out for tomorrow._

"Yes," he said and pulled out a small square package. "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me so… Oh, but I had Phoebe help me. I wasn't sure where to go to get it…"

After Arnold had given Helga the present, he watched nervously as she unwrapped the small bow around the box and finally opened it. He could see her eyes widening and at the beckoning of Olga's excited voice, she took the necklace out of the box and held it for everyone to see. It was a silver necklace with a 2 inch wide amulet hanging from it with an blue stone in it. Helga was gazing at it in wonder.

"It's an aquamarine stone… The clerk told me that was the stone for March and since you were born in March… and because your eyes are blue then…" Arnold explained shyly.

"Arnold, it's… it's like your amulet!" the blonde girl said in awe.

Arnold scratched his neck in embarrassment. "Y-Yeah, I realized that once I got it… I didn't mean to give you something that resembled my amulet so much, but - - "

"No, no, I love it!" Helga insisted and looked at the necklace again. "Thank you so much, Arnold. This is… This is the best gift I've ever gotten."

At the sight of the genuine smile on Helga's face, Arnold felt his cheeks flare up. It was worth the hours he had spent at _Antonio's Pizzeria_ , pretending to be hanging out with Gerald, but actually working some hours at his work place. It was worth all the plates he had broken and all the awkward situations he had put himself in whenever he didn't know what the customers were ordering or if he didn't know what the boss was talking about. When he first told Gerald about his plans, his new friend had insisted on just giving him the money, but Arnold wanted to earn them on his own so he could give Helga a present he could honestly say was from him.

Bob snorted and pulled the two teens out of their thoughts. "That's real nice of you, girl." He said with a scowl. "So all the money we spent on you were for nothing?"

"And me, standing in line for those Nancy Spumoni snow booths for 18 hours?" Miriam asked tiredly and drank from her glass, obviously not too interested in the conversation.

"Now, come on!" Olga interfered and started unpacking her present. "Let's just continue, mommy and daddy."

Helga gave one last glare at her parents before they turned their attention back to Olga. Helga made a small sigh and looked back at the necklace. "What did I expect?" she muttered to herself.

"Helga," Arnold said in a low voice and leaned forward so he could whisper to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't think they would get mad at you over this."

Helga smiled again and scooted her chair closer to Arnold. "Help me put it on." She said gently and turned her back to him. She moved all of her hair over her shoulder, moved the necklace in front of her throat and gestured for Arnold to take the locket. She held her hair up while he locked the necklace behind her neck. He watched her cream-colored skin for a moment, feeling a sudden urge to kiss it fly through him. Before he could tell himself not to act on it, Helga had already turned around again and was showing him the necklace. "How does it look?"

Arnold wasn't even looking at the necklace when he answered. "Beautiful." He answered, thinking that Helga's eyes were shining brighter than the aquamarine in her necklace. He noticed a small blush on Helga's cheeks and the way she smiled told him she knew he hadn't been talking about the necklace. She shook her head in disbelief and looked back at Olga when she squealed in delight.

"The new Nancy Spumoni coat! Thank you, daddy! Thank you, mommy!" Olga exclaimed and hugged her parents.

Arnold recognized the name since Miriam had just mentioned it and couldn't help but wonder if something with that name on it would have been better to give Helga. When he looked at the blonde girl again though, he could see her smiling to herself while fidgeting with the necklace. Arnold smiled.

 _I guess I made the right choice_.

* * *

The next hours went by smoothly. Helga and Arnold tended to stick together and try to avoid the other Patakis as much as possible and it seemed like they agreed. If people had decided to look inside the window, it wouldn't look like a big happy family celebrating Christmas together, but one small family and then two lovers on their own in the corner of the room. Arnold and Helga were sitting with cups of cocoa in the couch near the window, chatting on their own and admiring the snow outside.

"This is what's called a white Christmas. It's been a while since we've had one." Helga stated as she gazed out of the window.

"Really? It's been snowing ever since I got here." Arnold stated curiously.

"The snow had just started that morning when I found you." Helga explained and chuckled. "Maybe you brought the snow with you? Like a true Jack Frost."

"Who's Jack Frost?"

"Jack Frost is not a person, it's just something we say. You know, don't let Jack Frost nibble your nose, that basically means to dress up warmly so you won't get a cold."

"So Jack Frost gives people colds?"

"No, he just brings the snow, I think." Helga answered. "Like I said; Jack Frost isn't a real person."

Arnold nodded in understanding, but then frowned. "What's a cold?" he asked and Helga looked at him in disbelief. "You said _a cold_ , as in a noun… I thought cold was an adjective?"

Helga blinked a couple of times. "I envy you." She stated before sighing. "A cold is a state of sickness."

Arnold hummed in understanding. "And it comes from the cold?"

"Sort of. I mean, if you don't wear enough clothes when you're outside in this kind of weather, there's a big chance of you getting sick aka getting a cold."

"So I would have gotten a cold if you hadn't bought me those clothes back then."

"You'd be _dead_." Helga corrected and Arnold stared at her in shock. "If you had been outside in that weather right now, wearing nothing but that safari outfit, you'd end up like the little match girl."

"Who?" Arnold asked and readjusted himself on the couch.

" _The little match girl_ is a Danish Christmas tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. Spoiler, she dies at the end." Helga declared nonchalantly and let her cheek rest on the backrest of the couch.

"How?" Arnold asked and put his arm over the backrest, almost touching Helga with his fingers.

"Well…" Helga said quietly. "She was poor, had no family and no friends… She was trying to sell matches, but no one wanted to buy them so she tried to keep herself warm by lighting them one by one. She imagines all the happy families, eating their dinner and celebrating Christmas together as she lights every match… and once she's out of them, she dies."

"That's… so sad."

"Yeah, and has nothing to do with Christmas." Bob declared from the other side of the room. The blondes looked at him in surprise; they hadn't noticed that the Patakis had been listening to them. "What kind of idiot writes such a sad story for kids?"

Helga frowned. "I'll have you know that Hans Christian Andersen is considered the greatest Danish writer ever."

"Maybe he didn't have a lot of competition." Bob snorted and laughed at his own words.

Helga clenched around the cup she was holding. "As if you would know anything about the world outside your Beeper Imperium." She hissed to herself and looked away.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! You know very well that I turned that into the biggest, greatest electronics store in Hillwood, little lady!"

Helga snorted. "Maybe you didn't have a lot of competition." She said arrogantly, throwing his own words back at him. Arnold's face twisted since he had been about to laugh, but kept it hidden.

"D-Daddy." Olga stuttered and tried to turn his attention back to her story, but it didn't work.

"It's thanks to _my_ work that I can buy you all everything you want! That includes that apartment of yours, Helga." Bob pointed out, smirking since he was sure that he had won.

"You mean the apartment you _told_ me to move into?" Helga said and rolled her shoulders, trying to calm herself down. "Yes, I know, Bob, you keep reminding me every chance you get. Don't pretend that you did me some big favor. I never asked for you to pay my rent."

"You couldn't very well pay for it on your own, you're too lazy to get a job." Bob sneered.

"Lazy?!" Helga repeated and was about to throw a hissy fit, but leaned back against the couch, clenching her fists to keep herself calm. "If you want to put the lazy label on someone in this house, put it on your wife! Miriam, when was the last time you went to one of your AA meetings?!"

"Huh?" the woman muttered tiredly and seemed to try to think about it, but Olga clapped her shoulder gently and shook her head at her. Miriam put her head back down on the table, seemingly going back to a condition of being asleep and yet awake.

"Now, baby sister, dear. It's Christmas! We shouldn't talk about such uncomfortable things on this magical evening." Olga said and clapped her hands together excitedly. "Tell you what, how about we - - "

"This magical evening? Are you fucking with me?!" Helga asked angrily. "It's a sham, the whole thing! Me being here for a start - - "

"Don't you dare use that language in my house!" Bob shouted angrily. "Who did you learn that from anyway?"

Helga's shoulders slumped at the question. _You've gotta be kidding me_ , she thought before she pointed directly at Bob.

Bob's face slowly went red and he turned to look at Olga. "I can't do this, Olga!" he declared. "I know you told us to be nice, but I won't sit here and listen to this spoiled brat telling lies and belittling everything I've done for her!"

Helga's head whipped up at those words and even though Olga was trying to hush her father, it was too late. "Everything you've done for me?" Helga repeated in a hiss and stood up from the couch. "And what is that? The money you gave me?"

"Yes!" Bob answered and stood up from his chair as well. "I gave you everything you wanted!"

"You bribed me into moving out of your house when I was 13-years-old!"

"Helga." Arnold whispered behind her and grabbed her hand, hoping it would calm her down. She sat down next to him again, biting on her lower lip to contain her anger. Arnold knew how much she was fighting it when he felt her fingers clenching around his hand and he could see her muscles shaking. He squeezed her hand back.

"That's because you were impossible!" Bob yelled.

"Daddy, calm down! It's Christmas!" Olga insisted and took Bob's arm, but unlike Helga, he didn't calm down by the touch from someone else. He only got angrier.

"You've always been a spoiled, little brat, Helga! Nothing we ever did was good enough for you! Why couldn't you be more like Olga, huh? She never complained and she is doing great things with her life! When she was at your age, she had won spelling bees, was doing charity work and was a student teacher!"

Arnold frowned deeply at Bob's words. "Now, hold on - - "

"You stay out of this!" Bob said as he pointed warningly at Arnold. "I don't believe for a second that you're her boyfriend either. Please! Why would you date her to begin with? This girl has no good qualities about her. She isn't pretty or ladylike, she isn't smart and she's just lazing around at home!"

Arnold froze at those words. How could a dad say that about his own daughter? And was he blind or just stubborn? Arnold didn't understand and he turned to look at Helga, not sure what sight to expect. She had her eyes shut tightly and every muscle in her body was tense. She had shut down, Arnold realized, unable to keep her anger down if she didn't.

"It wouldn't surprise me if - - "

"Shut up!" Arnold shouted as loudly as he could, feeling his lungs burn in protest when he did. His eyes were wide as he glared at his hand that was holding Helga's. The movement he could feel told him that Helga had finally opened her eyes again and was staring at him just like her family members were. It was Arnold's time to shake with anger.

"Excuse me?" a hissing voice asked and Arnold lifted his head to glare at its owner. "How dare you talk to me like that, in my own home?!"

"How dare you talk to your daughter like that?!" Arnold asked with as much fervor, perhaps even more. "Don't answer, I know how; it's because you don't know her at all! The things you just said about her couldn't be any further from the truth! Helga might not look like those dolls in the stores, but her eyes are bluer than the waterfall in San Lorenzo and her hair shines brighter than the sun! She understands the world better than anyone I've ever known and her teachers constantly praise her for her hard work and her grades! She also writes poems all the time, poems that her teachers constantly tell her to get published because they are that good, but you wouldn't know, would you, because you only have eyes for one of your daughters!"

Bob automatically looked behind at Olga who's had tears in her eyes for a while, but was completely silent. He growled and looked back at Arnold. "You listen to me - - "

"No! I won't listen to you! Why would I?!" Arnold interrupted and stood up from the couch, pulling Helga up with her in the process. "We only came here because Helga was kind enough to ignore how uncomfortable she feels around you so I could experience a real family Christmas! But now I don't think I want to do that anymore, not with you as the family anyway!"

Arnold tightened his grip around Helga's hand and started running with her. She followed him in confusion and stared at him as he put her coat over her arms, shoved his own arms inside his own and ran outside with her, ignoring the shouts from Bob and Olga from inside the house. Helga struggled with putting her coat on as she and Arnold ran down the streets. She tried to tell him to slow down, but he wasn't listening. He was running on pure adrenaline, fighting the urge to cry at what he had just seen. He never thought he'd hear a parent talk about their child like that. He never thought that was possible and to watch Helga just shut down because she couldn't handle it; that was the worst part. He also never thought he would yell at a stranger or get so angry that he would say such things to someone. So many emotions were running through him and when they overpowered him, he stopped running and leaned over to gasp for air.

Helga was breathing heavily as well as she finally closed her coat around her. "Don't you remember what I… told you about the little match girl?" Helga asked, stuttering as she tried to let her lungs get air. "Close your jacket!"

"I will!" Arnold sniffed, but kept still.

Helga walked around Arnold and tilted her head to the side until she could see his face. "You're crying again." She stated with a sigh.

"I'm sorry…" Arnold said with a clear sob in his voice and saw his tears fall down on the pavement.

"What are you apologizing for?" Helga asked. "If anything, I should thank you. I don't remember anyone ever standing up for me like that. Bob can be pretty intimidating. Hell, he scares _me_ sometimes."

"That was just… too cruel." Arnold sniveled and tried drying his eyes, but whenever he had removed one tear another took its place. "I can't believe people like that actually exist!"

"Says the guy who was sure that all white people were materialistic assholes." Helga joked.

"This is different!" the blonde boy insisted and arched his back so he could look at Helga. "This is… He's your dad! How can he know so little about you?!"

" _That's_ the part that bumps you?" Helga asked and arched a curious eyebrow.

Arnold sniffed again, trying to dry his tears with his palms. "I mean… a dad is the one who raises you, looks after you, loves you… Someone who'll do anything to help you and who always listens and never gets angry. Guide you when you don't know what to do, who's there when it's dark, when you're scared or lonely and they are never ever too busy to talk to you. He's supposed to be someone who knows you the best!"

"Tell Bob that." Helga huffed, crossed her arms and leaned against the brick wall. She had her eyes closed for a while until she felt some weight on her shoulder. She looked and saw that it was Arnold who was resting his forehead on her while continuing to cry. With a sigh, the blonde girl turned to face him and started closing his coat slowly. She could hear him sobbing as she did so and she watched him for a while before she smirked. "You know, you cry a lot."

"I can't help it!" Arnold insisted and lifted his head to try to dry his eyes again. "Once I start, I can't stop even if I want to!"

Helga kept looking at the crying boy in front of her, letting his words swirl around in her mind for a moment. "I see…" she said quietly, almost matter-of-factly, while she grabbed his wrists, moved them away from his face and leaned close to him. Arnold made a choked gasp when her lips met his and he stared at her eyelids in disbelief. The tears that had been growing in his eyes fell down his cheeks as the last ones. He didn't know what he had done to deserve what he had secretly daydreamed about since their first kiss, but he wasn't about to stop and ask. In fact, he couldn't think of anything to do. Helga leaned back and showed a smug smile. "You stopped."

Arnold breathed for the first time the last minute as Helga let go of his wrists. The smile disappeared from her face and she made a small choked sound. Arnold was about to grab her when she leaned forward herself until her forehead hit his shoulder. The shorter blonde flinched a bit in surprise and looked at the back of Helga's head, staying perfectly still.

"Sorry…" Helga said in a quiet voice. "But could you let me stay like this for a bit…?"

Arnold shut his eyes tightly and wrapped his arms around Helga. "Um, Helga… I-If you want to then… you can cry." he said in a quiet voice.

Helga huffed. "Get over yourself." She said arrogantly, but choked on her own words. Her voice betrayed her and Arnold could already feel her shaking. The sigh she made told him that she was giving in. "Just so you know… all my life, I've never cried in front of anyone… besides you. As if I'd ever let anyone else see me like this."

And with those words, Helga allowed herself to let out 16 years of pain. She let herself remember the times she had wanted to cry, to scream and yell whenever her family disappointed her, whenever they told her she wasn't good enough. She let herself remember the times feeling like the black sheep, like Olga's shadow and like the daughter that would never be good enough. She let herself get consumed by the hatred, disappointment and sadness once and for all and let it all out. And she couldn't believe she was doing it in front of a stranger. A stranger she was starting to depend on the more she got to know him.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: I had to struggle with this chapter a little bit because when I reached the end of this chapter, I realized I was missing at least 400 words xD I have a personal rule that says a minimum of 5.000 words a chapter so it really bugged me. I had to go through the chapter and decide where I needed to add some more to the story without making it seem forced. Try and guess what was added! Haha xD**


	8. Learn something new

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After her friends had convinced Helga to bring Arnold for a real Christmas eve, Arnold started to wonder if it was really alright since she was acting very weird up till the evening. When he met the Patakis, Arnold slowly understood what made Helga so uncomfortable around her family. He had a long fuse, but it was attached to dynamite, which the Patakis realized when he told them off for treating Helga the way they did.**_

 _ **Outside, near Helga's apartment, Arnold received his second kiss from the blonde girl. Though he still didn't understand what all this meant, he knew what he cared more about Helga than he had ever thought he would.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I just realized that there might be 5-6-7 chapters let of this or something O_O If my calculations in my notes are correct that is… So we're more than halfway there xD I never intended for this to be a long story so it shouldn't come as a surprise to me, but still xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 8: "Learn something new"

Arnold could feel his eyes darting from side to side as he tried ignoring his urgent need to look in Helga's direction. He didn't know why he was so keen on staring at her this evening. Well, he knew, but he didn't understand it. Back home in San Lorenzo, the women would often wear much more revealing clothes than what Helga was wearing and yet he had never felt so dirty from looking at them. Not a bad thought had ever crossed his mind, but for some reason it was different with Helga. With a gulp, he turned his head just enough to see her in his peripheral vision. Helga had her hair curled again, but up in a ponytail which showed off the necklace he had gotten her. She was wearing the usual leather jacket, but that wasn't the only leather item on her this evening. Her skirt was also made of leather and so were her boots. The only thing that wasn't leather were the stockings and the black corset that was connected to the skirt in a way that showed off very little of her hips. Nothing indecent, but enough to get your attention.

Arnold himself was wearing a pair of black pants, a white dress shirt, black tie and a black vest. He had been insecure of himself until Helga had made that smug yet oddly awkward smile at him and told him he looked handsome. He had stuttered a thank you and she had laughed until she almost choked. He was starting to be able to tie a pattern to this odd feeling that had yet to be named. It grew when Helga was close by, was smiling or wearing clothes different from her everyday clothes. And when they were going to bed. Especially when they were going to bed. Arnold knew he couldn't keep going without knowing what this meant so he had decided to talk to Gerald tonight. It was the only person he could imagine talking to about this.

Once Arnold and Helga were at Rhonda's mansion, the hostess practically attacked them from behind. "Ready to party for real, Arnold?" she asked with a tipsy grin and offered him a glass of with something in it that had a strong smell.

"Princess - - "

"Uh-bup-bup, I won't hear it, Helga!" Rhonda interrupted and shoved the glass into Arnold's hands. "He has a right to drink whether you like it or not! I mean, come on, isn't the point of this whole trip of his to get a taste of our culture?"

Arnold smelled the content for a moment, wondering what the big deal was about this. He looked at Helga who had a murderous look in her eyes, but then she smirked. "You know what, Rhonda? You're right." She said in a suspiciously calm tone. "Arnold should be allowed to try this at least once."

Arnold blinked in surprise. "Are you… sure?" he asked, but was already drinking from the glass. He had been curious about all the fuss since he had first heard of it so he couldn't help but accept the green light the minute he got it. He regretted it instantly though when the sharp taste hit his taste buds and he growled from the taste.

Helga, who had been looking smug up till this point, looked at the uncivilized boy with sympathy. "Could you at least give him something that isn't…" she said and then smelled the glass. "Whiskey?! Are you insane?!"

"Oh, alright, alright! I'll get you something more for beginners. Come on!" Rhonda said, grabbed Arnold's hand and dragged him towards the bar. He turned around to look at Helga who waved at him cockily.

"Serves you right." Helga muttered and looked around until she found Phoebe who was chatting with Lila. "Where's the old ball and chain?"

"He's at the bar." Phoebe replied and gestured with her glass. Helga turned and saw that Gerald was indeed at the bar and was now having a heated debate with Rhonda about what Arnold should be drinking next. "You're letting Arnold drink?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Hey, I'm not his mother." Helga snapped and sat down across the girls.

Lila looked at Helga quizzically. "Are you ever so certain this is alright with you?"

Helga smirked. "Oh, yes. When Arnold realizes the consequences of drinking alcohol, he won't be asking to do it again." She replied evilly.

"Oh, that's wicked, just ever so much!" Lila bellowed in shock, but giggled. "But ever so clever as well."

"Hey, people wanted him to get the full experience of the civilized world, right?" Helga asked superiorly, threw her arms back and leaned against them. "A hangover is _very_ civilized."

At the other side of the bar, Arnold was looking in Helga's direction, watching her laugh with the other girls. He could feel a glass being shoved into his hand and without tearing his eyes off Helga, he drank from it and instantly choked on it. He could hear Rhonda declare that it was no good either before the glass disappeared. Arnold thought he finally knew why Helga had been so stubborn about him not drinking, it all tasted awful. But there was more behind it, he knew that much. He sighed as he was given yet another glass and tried drinking from it. To his surprise, it didn't taste awful. In fact, it was kind of good. He drank from it again and heard Gerald and Rhonda agree that a sweeter drink was the way to go.

"Ok, Arnold. I've told the bartender that when you come up here, he'll just give you one of those, ok?" Rhonda said before she waved and sauntered away to mingle.

Arnold watched Rhonda leave for a moment before he turned his eyes back to Helga. "Why does Helga not want me to drink this?"

Gerald let his glass of scotch fall away from his lips. "You're kidding. You've met her family, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Didn't her mother seem kind of… out of it to you?"

"Well… yes, she seemed really distracted and pretty tired." Arnold admitted and then looked at his glass. "Don't tell me this stuff is the reason for that?"

Gerald nodded and Arnold instantly put the glass away. "Hey, relax!" the taller boy said and gave him the glass back. "Miriam drinks this stuff _all the time_ , that's why she's like that. You won't become a zombie if you just drink for one night."

"What's a zombie?" Arnold asked and watched the liquid twirl around in his glass.

"Well, in this case it's someone like Miriam; distracted, tired, not listening, all that."

Arnold drank meekly from the glass and looked towards Helga again. He finally understood why she had asked her sister why she wasn't telling her mother not to drink at Christmas. It would have been nice for Miriam to have been present at what was supposed to be a family gathering. Maybe, in the long run, it was this strong stuff that was keeping her and her mother separate? Miriam didn't seem like a bad person, not like Bob anyway. Perhaps if she stopped drinking, she could have a decent relationship with her daughter.

'You're staring at her like you wanna fuck her brains out." Gerald said smugly and Arnold spluttered in shock. He coughed for a bit and then looked at Gerald questioningly. "Helga, I mean."

"Helga says that all the time too…" Arnold muttered thoughtfully.

Gerald, who had been about to drink from his glass, made a loud, hollow sound of shock. He stared at Arnold who looked equally shocked, but for an entirely different reason. " _What_ exactly… does Helga say all the time?" Gerald asked slowly, pronouncing every syllable.

"That word…" Arnold explained. " _Fuck_."

Arnold had said the word so indifferently that it took Gerald about a second to realize that the boy had no clue what it meant. He sighed. "For a second I thought…"

"What?" Arnold asked when the darker boy stopped talking.

Gerald shook his head. "Never mind… Anyway, you don't know what fuck means, but you know what sex is, right?"

"Six? That's a number."

"No, _sex_. You know what that is, right?" Gerald asked and lifted the glass to his mouth. It fell back on the counter though when he realized that the green-eyed boy was completely lost. "You don't." Gerald declared monotonously and Arnold shook his head. "Oh, boy." Gerald said in an oddly cartoony way, Arnold noticed. "Did you never wonder how you got here?'

"By ship."

"No!" Gerald said in disbelief. "I mean, on this planet, the earth. How you came to exist!"

"My mom gave birth to me." Arnold answered matter-of-factly. "But what does that have to do with - - "

"So you know that you grew in your mom's stomach?' Gerald asked and Arnold nodded. "But you never once thought how you got in her stomach in the first place?"

Arnold looked away, thinking deeply about Gerald's question. Now that he thought about it, he had only ever been told the story of how he was born, not how he came to be. The Green Eyes called him a miracle sent from the Great Spirits to guide them, but no one had ever told him how he came to be and he had never thought about it. Perhaps occasionally, but life back in San Lorenzo was busier than in Hillwood. Back home, there was always some work to do, one way or another, and you would always be too tired by the end of the day to wonder life's big questions. Now, Arnold regretted yet again that the hadn't questioned the world more – whatever sex was and whatever it had to do with babies, it was obviously something he was supposed to know.

"Will you teach me?" Arnold asked.

Gerald, despite his dark skin, could feel a blush on his cheeks. "I feel like I'm at the beginning of a porn…" he muttered to himself. Then he smirked evilly and put his arm over Arnold's shoulders. "If I've been reading you two right, Helga will teach you herself soon enough."

For some reason, Arnold felt himself blush. "What do you mean?"

"We agree that you feel weird around Helga, right?"

Arnold blinked. "How did you know?"

"I'm a dude, you're a dude, I can just see it. This weird feeling means that you like her."

"Of course I like her - - "

"No, no. I mean, _like her_ like her." Gerald interrupted. "The same way your parents like each other."

Arnold felt his entire body go tomato red as he relived the moments in his head, where he had seen his parents hold hands, hug, kiss and just smiling that way at each other. He looked towards Helga. "You think… she likes me likes me too?" he asked awkwardly, wondering why you had to say it twice for it to mean that kind of like.

"Damned if I know; Helga's unreadable… but you have kissed once so maybe… but then again there was a mistletoe involved so - - "

"Twice." Arnold corrected.

"But then again, that Helga even kissed you at all is - - What?" Gerald stopped his ramble to ask.

"Twice. She… She's kissed me two times." Arnold specified shyly.

"Wait, twice? When did you kiss the second time?

"Christmas eve."

Gerald's excitement faltered. "Oh, so it was another mistletoe thing?"

Arnold shook his head to Gerald's surprise. "We were outside."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait…" Gerald said, waving his hands around and then staying perfectly still as he hummed thoughtfully. "Are you telling me… that Helga kissed you because of no other reason than her wanting to?" he asked as he started to point at Arnold.

Arnold blinked. "I… I guess…" he said though he wondered if she had actually kissed him because she wanted him to stop crying.

Gerald shouted excitedly and clapped Arnold's shoulder so roughly that he groaned. "Kudos! You're taming the wild beast!" he bellowed.

"The wild what?" Arnold questioned as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

"Never mind!" Gerald declared and waved his hands. "The important thing is that people don't just kiss other people unless they like them, especially not Helga!"

Arnold blinked a couple of times and felt his heart speed up. "S-So you really think that - - "

"Helga fancies you, buddy!"

"She _what_?"

"She likes you likes you!" Gerald confirmed excitedly and looked towards said blonde girl. Arnold did the same thing, staring at her with wild eyes.

"W-Wait! How can you be so sure?" the blonde boy asked and looked back at the black-haired boy. "If she likes me likes me, why hasn't she said anything?"

Gerald smirked at him. "Have _you_ told Helga that you feel _weird_ around her?" he asked and Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but realized that he hadn't exactly talked to Helga about this. "Thought so."

"B-But that doesn't prove that she likes me or not."

Gerald sighed. "Ok, you're shy about this, I get that. Tell you what? If you and Helga kiss for a third time, it's a sure thing, ok?" he suggested.

Arnold looked towards Helga in a panic. "You're not telling me to just waltz over there and kiss her, right?!"

"No! You gotta do it when the mood is right!"

"I'm a terrible mood-reader!"

"Well… um… then just when you're alone and you feel like kissing her." Gerald suggested.

Arnold's shoulders slumped. "That's like 99% of the time."

"Boy, you got it bad, eh?" Gerald teased and snickered. "Ok then… when you're alone and you're just, like, sitting next to each other and having that quiet moment that isn't awkward. Then you go for it."

 _Go for it…_ Arnold thought and looked towards Helga while his were cheeks heating up. _Easy for you to say_.

Gerald patted Arnold's back. "You'll know when it's right." He insisted, grabbed his own glass and started heading towards the girls. Arnold took his glass as well, noticed that the bartender had refilled it and then followed Gerald.

"Oh, look, it's the guinea pig." Helga said when she saw Arnold and scooted to the side to make room for him on the couch.

"The what?" Arnold questioned and sat down.

"Never mind." Helga said and sniffed his glass. "I see they found you a piña colada."

"I just know it's got coconut milk in it." Arnold replied and drank from it.

"Of course." Helga said and rolled her eyes goodheartedly. She scanned the room for a moment and glared curiously at some familiar faces. "Oh, look who's here. Connie _bury me in a Y-shaped coffin_ Hayden."

Gerald spluttered in his drink while Phoebe had to hold back a laugh and Lila nudged at Helga, telling her that her comment was completely inappropriate. Arnold, on the other hand, didn't understand it. "What do you mean?"

Helga leaned closer to Arnold. "Let's just say she likes the taste of a boy's tonsils." She whispered as if it was a big secret.

 _Tonsils?_ Arnold repeated in his mind, but he didn't get the chance to understand the words before the blonde girl approached them. He looked at her in awe; most of the skin on her face was covered in make-up, her blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail and her dress left little to the imagination. Arnold almost felt like he should be looking away.

"What have we here?" Connie asked and leaned forward until she was at Arnold's eyelevel. The blonde boy automatically leaned back, feeling a sense of deja-vu from back in the jungle. Why did this woman feel like a vulture to him? "You're new in town, aren't you?"

"Because you can't recognize his scent?" Helga muttered to herself as if she knew that Arnold felt like a prey to a puma.

Connie shot her a deathly glare, but turned her attention back to Arnold. "What's your name, handsome?"

"A… Arnold." Arnold said, feeling his modest and polite side poking at him despite his discomfort from being this close to the girl. He kept leaning back in the couch and poke at Helga to get her to help him.

"I've always liked that name." Connie said suggestively.

"Because it's a boy's name." Helga muttered to herself once more, ignoring the glare she got from Connie.

"Would you like to dance with me?" the cougar-looking girl asked, but was already reaching for Arnold's hands, clearly expecting nothing but acceptance and even gratitude.

"Actually," Helga interfered, removed Arnold's glass from his hand and grabbed it. "I promised to teach him how to dance."

Arnold followed Helga obediently, sighing with relief once they were out on the dancefloor. "Thank you."

Helga twirled around and glared at Arnold. "That girl right there is the most dangerous kind of carnivore we have in our world. She's a man-eater, stay away from here!" she hissed.

"She actually eats men?!"

"No, it's just an expression for a woman who will use a man until she's tired of him and then throw him away like garbage." Helga explained and listened to the song for a moment before she moved Arnold's hand to her hip. "Might as well actually teach you to dance while we're here."

Arnold resisted the urge to squeeze Helga's hip and looked up at her. "D-Dance? Like they did in that movie we saw yesterday?"

"Yep, it's not as hard as it looks. Look at our feet and follow me." Helga ordered and Arnold looked down obediently and tried to figure out the pattern she was doing with her feet. He tried copying it and within a minute, he was dancing in the same rhythm as her and in the perfect box-pattern. "That's it, Arnold! You're dancing!"

Arnold couldn't help but laugh with Helga; she sounded so excited about it after all. He looked up in her blue eyes and felt that familiar urge again, but before he could go through the list of things Gerald had said were appropriate for a kiss, Helga twirled him under her arm and smirked at him once he was an arm's distance away from her. He recognized what she had done from the movie last night and then drew near her to grab her around her waist and lift her up so he could whirl her around. She chuckled happily at the situation and when he put her down they were almost out of breath. They danced calmly for a while and Arnold could feel the bit of awkwardness Gerald had mentioned.

Then the song changed and Arnold looked around at the dancing people. The style changed significantly and he kept looking between them, feeling himself get shyer and shyer at the sight of the twisting bodies around him. He heard Helga chuckling and looked back at her.

"Wanna head back?" she asked and Arnold thought about it for a moment, but then shook his head. He couldn't help but want to see Helga dancing like that too and he wondered if that made him bad. It definitely felt like he was having some ill-disciplined thoughts. Helga looked at him curiously, but then shrugged. "Ok… _you_ start."

"Wha - - " Arnold choked, but then looked around him. He looked at some different boys for a moment before deciding on a dance move. He switched between taking a step from the right and to the left while letting his arms follow the beat.

Helga bit on her lower lip while watching him, trying to hold back her laughter. "Don't you dance in San Lorenzo?"

"Well, yes… but not like this!" Arnold insisted and stopped dancing when he realized he was doing it wrong.

"Then dance like that." Helga suggested and smiled excitedly. "Time for you to teach _me_ something."

Arnold thought about it for a moment and then decided on a dance step. It resembled the one he had done before, but the steps had more space between them and the arms were smoother. He also felt more comfortable doing it because he knew he was doing it right. When he looked back at Helga, she was doing what he was doing, but slower and with smaller steps. She kept doing that for a bit, ultimately getting to the point where she was copying him perfectly.

"You're dancing, Helga!" Arnold teased and the blonde girl chuckled.

"This is fun!" she declared before she looked at him curiously and then stopped dancing. "Ok, my turn."

Arnold stopped dancing and followed Helga's eyes as she scanned the crowd, the same way he had done earlier. When her eyes fell on something and he saw what she was looking at, he could feel a lump grow in his throat. He looked back at her when she lifted her arms and started swaying her hips to the beat of the music. Arnold could hear his heart beat to the beat of the drum and the bass was messing with it. He couldn't help but feel that the sight in front of him was worth the embarrassment he had felt earlier.

"You're not gonna copy me?" Helga asked teasingly.

"I-I, uh…" Arnold said and gestured to Helga's hips. "I can't… move like that."

Helga slowly stopped dancing and looked Arnold over. A mischievous expression overtook her face as she drew near. "Then I'll teach you." She said before she walked around him and put her hands on his hips. She could feel him stiffen under her touch and despite feeling self-conscious herself, she still had to hold back a snicker as she started moving his hips. "Make your upper body stay still, only move your hips."

Arnold felt extremely awkward in this position and not just because he had no idea what he was doing. Helga was right behind him, he could even feel her breathing down his neck. "I-I really don't think I'm doing this right." He insisted, hoping Helga would stop this torment.

"You're right." Helga agreed and let go. Arnold almost sighed in relief, but then she took his hand and spun him around. "It's probably easier if I guide you a little more."

After turning her back to him, Helga pulled Arnold's body flush against hers. His hands landed on her hips and she told him to follow her. It was a hard request, given that he was having trouble just standing up now that there thighs were practically glued together. Helga made sure their bodies were moving like water, smoothly and fluidly. The lump that had been growing in Arnold's throat was starting to strangle him and he had to swallow it. The sound was loud and Helga looked at him over her shoulder, knowing very well what she was doing to him. She couldn't help it; it was the first time she was experiencing a boy giving her that look Arnold was giving her and was like putty in her hands. Her sadistic mind couldn't help but take advantage of it. That, and she liked Arnold. She had finally come to terms with it and had decided to act upon it as much as she dared.

 _When did the music even change?_ Arnold wondered as he heard a raspy, sexy, female voice singing over the speakers. The entire feeling of the music and the room seemed to have changed around him and the atmosphere was so thick you could cut a knife through it. He could feel his own breathing get hoarser and he had trouble focusing on anything. Maybe that was why it took him a while to realize that Helga was looking at him and had asked him a question.

"You ok, Football Head?" Helga asked again when the blonde boy seemed to be looking at her; though it was through foggy eyes. She had to hold back a laugh, he just looked so undeniably adorable like that.

Arnold just gave a meek nod. "I-Is this really… dancing?" he asked, but then looked around him and saw that others were in fact dancing in a similar way.

"Well… it's considered dancing in _this_ generation." Helga answered as she let her head loll back until it hit Arnold's shoulder. Her lips were barely resting against his neck and he flinched at the ghostly feeling. "But you're right… what we were doing before is real dancing."

Arnold shivered. _I don't know if I prefer real dancing…_ He thought and almost asked her if they could go back to that because this was too much for his innocent heart. He didn't understand this feeling yet, he didn't know what it was his body wanted or needed and it was frustrating and thrilling all at the same time. Helga was clearly messing with him, he was sure about that. He didn't get to say anything before she had arched her back and was grabbing his hands. She twirled around slowly under his arms and he almost sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment when the pressure from her was gone from his lap, but when he came face to face with her, he realized that was even worse. This way, he couldn't hide his reactions to her.

"Hey, try grabbing my back." Helga suggested almost innocently. Arnold moved his hand between her shoulder blades as suggested, but she moved it further down. Then she took his other hand and while moving her leg around his waist, she put his hand on her thigh. "Hold on."

Arnold looked between his hands before he noticed that Helga was leaning backwards. He quickly tightened his grip around her, steadying her perfectly as she leaned back with her arms thrown down as well. He gulped at the sight of her skirt pulling up a bit and her corset going slightly askew, but then she flipped back upwards.

Helga laughed heartily. "I've always wanted to try that!" she said giddily and opened her eyes to look at Arnold. She noticed the oddly distant look in her eyes and grew worried that she had overdone it. With a slightly vexed smirk, she got a little closer to his face. "Um… Arnold? Are you - - "

Helga's question segued into a gasp when Arnold, without warning, drew near and kissed her. He hadn't thought ahead, but at the sound of her gasp, he pulled back again. "Sorry… that wasn't the right moment." He admitted, thinking of the things Gerald had mentioned were perfect for a kiss.

Helga gazed at him for a moment, confused, before she put her hands on his cheeks. "Who cares?" she said before she pulled him in by the neck and it was his turn to gasp. His hands landed on her upper arms and he squeezed them in nervousness. The feeling soon overwhelmed him though and he closed his eyes, letting the music drown in his ears. The feeling of Helga's fingers near his ears, temples and his hairline sent shivers down his spine. This kiss was different from the other ones, he felt that instantly. There was almost something primal about it, as if they needed to kiss each other.

Arnold barely noticed the wall behind his back because suddenly, Helga's tongue lolled out of her mouth. His eyes widened at the odd feeling of it licking his lips and his lips parted to catch his breath. He made a choked sound when her tongue slithered into his mouth and he could feel his abdominal muscles clenching as he was struggling with his breathing. He grasped at her arms, fighting between wanting to pull her closer and push her away. The feeling of her tongue against his spurred him on and he could hear sounds coming out of him he didn't know he could make. He felt extremely vulnerable and shy until Helga moaned as well and that sound sounded like heaven to him. He moved his head forward, trying to coax her into making that sound again. When it didn't work, he tried putting his hands on her hips, remembering how he had felt when she had done that to him. It worked and he could feel Helga's bones shake under his palms.

"Hey, get a room, you two!"

The shock of someone greeting them caused Arnold to bite down on Helga's tongue. She gasped and pulled away, grabbing at her mouth in pain. "Sorry! I'm sorry!" the boy bellowed in shock and let go of Helga in case she wanted to get away from him. She stayed still though, still holding her mouth and looked at him. Then she broke into a fit of laughter and when Arnold believed she wasn't angry, he laughed as well. He felt her forehead touch his and he opened his eyes to gaze into those blue diamonds on her face. She was drawing closer when someone wolf whistled and she pulled back again, pouting angrily.

"I'm gonna smack 'em…" Helga hissed before she looked back at Arnold. "Well, that wasn't much of a _dance_ lesson… but I think you did learn something new at least."

Arnold closed his eyes as Helga let her hand travel from his neck and down his chest. He was sure she could feel his heart beating through his shirt. She seemed to be scanning his body for a second. She was in deep thought until she shook her head as if coming back to reality. She smiled somehow sadly at him before she turned her back and started heading back to the others. Arnold stayed back for a moment, letting his hand go through his hair. His heart was hammering in his chest, he could feel droplets of sweat trickling down his skin and his pants felt unnaturally tight. He felt like he was closer to understanding than ever and yet, he had never been further away.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: The part after Helga had taught Arnold to dance properly wasn't planned… it was supposed to be such an innocent and romantic scene! And my brain turns it dirty, doi! xD**

 **Oh, and this is just part 1 of New Year's Eve, there's gonna be another chapter for this party :3**


	9. Never let him go

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **Arnold and Helga went to Rhonda's New Year's Eve party and Rhonda finally got her way and Helga let Arnold drink for the night. What he didn't realize though was the evil intention behind it, since she knew the consequences of drinking and he didn't.**_

 _ **Arnold confessed his feelings for Helga to Gerald and Gerald found out that Arnold did in fact not know what sex was, but refused to explain it to him, telling him Helga would probably give him a very life-life explanation soon enough. Arnold knew enough about sex though to figure out it was what he wanted to do with Helga whenever they kissed and the kiss he received from Helga after they had danced in a way only this generation would ever dare, told him he was desperate for her.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: I'm sorry this one took so long! My health hasn't been at its highest the last couple of weeks and I've been busy with school work and I also wrote a Halloween FanFiction so yeah… sorry for the wait! xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 9: "Never let him go"

"You calm yet?"

Arnold let the glass fall from his lips, but the images came back to him like bullets in his mind; images of Helga's sensual expression, the feeling of her body pressed against his, the taste of her skin on his teeth. He shut his eyes and drank from the glass again.

"Liar." Gerald joked. "Pretty overwhelming, huh?"

Arnold nodded meekly and finally decided that his mind was foggy enough to keep the memories at bay. "I never thought I could feel like that." He admitted. "It was so hard to breathe too!"

"You learn how to do that the more times you kiss."

"I feel like my heart just might pop if I kiss her like that again."

"You'll have to worry about something else popping next time you kiss."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out." Gerald teased. "What's important now is that you play it cool."

"Play what cool?"

"Your attitude! Don't get clingy; girls hate that." Gerald warned. "It's important she knows you don't need her."

"I kind of do." Arnold said matter-of-factly. "I live with her."

"Yeah, sure, but… just don't cling to her, ok!" Gerald insisted with a groan.

Arnold wasn't even sure how not to cling to Helga. She was his first and best friend in Hillwood, she had taken him into her home and he liked her liked her. How was he supposed to stay away from her? He didn't feel that they were glued by the hip. She was gone right now and he was wondering where she was, yes, but that didn't mean anything, did it?

In one of the smaller living rooms, Helga and Phoebe had sat down to get some peace from the music and all the people. "What am I doing, Phoebs?" Helga asked, grasping at her head.

"Helga, it's alright."

"The hell it is!" Helga shouted. "Am I a masochist or something? What am I doing with a guy who wants to go home to a place that's 3.000 miles away?! This will only end badly."

"That's true." Phoebe agreed matter-of-factly.

"Thanks for the support." Helga sneered and then sighed. "The first time I start feeling this way towards someone, it's someone who lives in a fucking jungle. If it wasn't so surreal, I'd say it was typical."

"Helga - - "

"No." Helga interrupted sternly. She put her hands on her knees, as Phoebe knew was a habit of hers when she had to make a hard decision. "I need to stop getting closer to Arnold."

"Oh, Helga, surely that's unnecessary." Phoebe insisted, but the blonde girl shook her head.

"It's the only thing I can do. Arnold is probably starting to feel something for me too, he must agree that getting any closer would be stupid. It's only gonna hurt us both once we find a way to get him home."

"Didn't Arnold and his grandparents communicate by letters?" Phoebe suggested, but she knew how bad a suggestion it was when Helga glared at her. "Granted… a long-distance relationship isn't optimal."

"It's not an option, Phoebs." Helga insisted, sat up and straightened her skirt. "Arnold and I need to give each other some space to get these feelings sorted out. We can't act on them so carelessly anymore."

Phoebe sighed unhappily. Knowing Helga for the majority of her life meant that she had noticed how happy Helga had become lately. She wasn't scowling as much as she used to, she wasn't as angry anymore and she didn't bully anyone anymore. Well, she still bullied people, but it was in a much more loving way. The only difference there had been in Helga's life, that Phoebe could think of, was Arnold. He was the only reason she had changed and if he disappeared so would Helga's newborn happiness.

The two girls walked out of the living room, but Helga halted at the sight of Connie leaning over Arnold once more. She could feel herself seething already, but reminded herself what she had just decided upon. She took a deep breath, kept her feeling at bay and walked towards the boys as if nothing was wrong. She didn't even spare Arnold a glance as she and Phoebe sat down in the couch.

"Now, come on, handsome. Helga's gotten a dance, why can't I?" Connie asked with a small pout as she fluttered her eyelashes.

 _Because I don't want to,_ Arnold thought and looked towards Helga, half-expecting her to save him again. She didn't even look at him though, her eyes glued to something else out of Arnold's vision. Arnold looked back at Connie, hoping for a legitimate excuse to come out of his mouth, but he couldn't think of any.

"Now, come on!" Connie insisted, put Arnold's drink down and took his hand. She looked towards Helga. "Unless your mommy has anything to say?"

Arnold looked pleadingly at Helga as she smiled at Connie. "Nope. Not a thing." She said.

Arnold gawked at Helga even as Connie pulled him out to the dancefloor. He didn't understand why she had saved him before, only to leave him alone with this supposed man-eater now. He didn't get the chance to ask though as Connie started dancing around him like a snake in heat.

"What was that?!" Gerald hissed in Helga's direction after he had finally stopped gawking at her in shock. "Why would you leave him alone with Connie?!"

"I'm not Arnold's boss." Helga hissed.

"But - - "

"Shut it, Tall Hair Boy!" the blonde girl sneered angrily. Gerald leaned back in his seat, recognizing the scowl on the girls' face. He almost felt nostalgic; that's how long ago it had been since he had seen that expression on her face.

"Hey, guys!" a female voice called before its owner jumped over the couch and sat next to Gerald. "Been looking all over for you. Well, TJ has."

"Did not!" TJ insisted to the black-haired girl and pulled at her beanie until it covered her eyes. He looked embarrassedly at Helga and readjusted his own hat. "Hi, Helga."

"Hey, TJ." Helga said sullenly.

Vince tilted his head. "What's up with her?" he asked the others as he pointed at the blonde.

"Yeah, and where's Arnold?" TJ asked and looked around.

"Dancing with death." Helga answered and looked towards the dancefloor. The others followed her gaze and saw Arnold awkwardly moving on the floor, trying to keep away from Connie who kept making excuses to touch him as she shook all she had in front of him.

Spinelli made a gagging sound and nudged at Gerald. "He looks terrified!"

"I would be too, if I was dancing with that." Vince agreed and snickered with the others. Helga was the only one who didn't laugh and TJ noticed.

"Well, he shouldn't be the only one on the dancefloor!" TJ declared and offered his hand to Helga who looked at it curiously. "Wanna dance?"

When Helga realized what TJ was doing, she grinned appreciatively at him. "Sure thing." She said, took his hand and followed him out on the dancefloor.

Spinelli frowned at the sight. "He's just trying to make her feel better, right?" she asked Vince who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Arnold would have noticed Helga and TJ joining them on the dancefloor if he hadn't been so busy trying to avoid Connie. "You know, Arnold," the girl said as she turned her back to him and pressed her back against his chest. The only reason she didn't fall to the floor was because Arnold was too polite to move away. "I feel a little tipsy and… I don't think it's a good idea to drive home like this. Any chance you could take me home?"

"I-I can't drive." Arnold answered and stepped around her, pretending it was a dance move.

"You don't have a license?" Connie asked in surprise and moved her hips wildly. She looked like one of those hula dolls you put in your car.

"N-No." Arnold answered and looked towards where his friends were. He stopped dancing when he saw that Helga had disappeared and tried looking for her, but Connie took advantage of his distraction and put her arms over his shoulders. "Listen, I-I really don't - - "

"Can you walk me home then?" Connie asked. "It's not too far away."

"I… kinda already have plans to go home with Helga."

"Oh, forget her." Connie said with a sleazy smile. "I'm much more fun."

Arnold frowned deeply and took Connie's wrists. "Connie, I really just want to go back to my friends, ok?" he said as kindly as he could, took her arms away from him and walked past her. He didn't get far though before she had walked around him again.

"Ok, you're obviously not catching on so I'll be blunt with you. I wanna fuck you, Arnold." Connie said with a triumphant smile.

Arnold could feel a cold shiver go down his spine at that word. "N… N-No, thank you…" was all he could think of saying. He didn't know what was the politest way to reject such a thing.

Connie's face went slack with utter shock. "No one's ever said no to me before."

Arnold looked around awkwardly. "Well…" he said, wondering what he was supposed to say. "Somebody has to be the first."

Arnold stepped around Connie, finally able to breathe now that her perfume wasn't attacking his nostrils. He sat down one the couch, sighing in relief. When he had though, he remembered that Helga was gone and he looked around.

"If you're looking for Helga, she's out there." Spinelli said with a pout as she pointed with her thumb behind her.

Arnold got up on his knees on the couch and looked at the dancefloor. Helga and TJ were dancing together in a way that didn't resemble the way she had danced with Arnold at all, it was more fun and casual, but he still felt something inside him twist into a knob. He sat back down on the couch, his face betraying his feelings.

Phoebe looked between Arnold and Spinelli for a moment before she imagined a light bulb appearing above her head. "Gerald, please dance with me." she said and was already standing up to grab his hands.

"N-Now?" Gerald asked in confusion, but let his girlfriend take him out on the dancefloor anyway.

"Hey, gorgeous. Wanna dance?" a girl asked Vince who followed her immediately.

Spinelli looked at Arnold and sighed. "I hate looking at them too." she mumbled.

Arnold looked up and towards Helga and TJ again. He then looked at Spinelli curiously. "Do you like TJ?" he asked, wondering if she hated it the same way he did.

"None of your business!" Spinelli bellowed angrily with a hint of red on her face. She then grumbled for a moment though and nodded. "And you like Helga, right?"

Arnold nodded. "A lot."

Spinelli smirked. "Kinda had a funny feeling you two had a thing for each other."

"Both of us?" Arnold asked and looked towards the dancefloor again. "It doesn't feel like she feels the same way when I look at her dancing with TJ."

"Hey, you were dancing with Connie just before, weren't you?"

"She forced me!"

"Push her away, you weakling!"

"I can't do that! I… I'm too polite."

"Well, your politeness just got in the way between you and Helga, pal." Spinelli said superiorly.

Arnold looked at her for a while before his shoulders slumped and he fell onto the couch. "How do I fix this? I need Helga to know she's the one I like."

"How about telling her?" Spinelli suggested sarcastically.

Arnold imagined doing exactly that and felt his entire body go red. "B-But Gerald said not to get clingy…" he excused.

"Clingy?" Spinelli repeated. "Dude, you just danced with the slut of the Hillwood streets, clingy is nowhere near what you are right now!"

"I guess not, but Gerald - - "

"Forget Gerald!" Spinelli insisted and put her feet back on the floor. "Who do you wanna listen to? A boy or a girl?"

Arnold opened his mouth to answer, but decided to think about it first. It did seem like the more logical thing to listen to a girl. "You." He answered.

"Good because I know Helga in ways Gerald don't because he's a boy. That, and he knows _nothing_ about girls even though he thinks he does."

Arnold looked towards Gerald and Phoebe. "Then how did he get together with Phoebe?"

"An idiot's luck and knowing the girl for years. He could never land another one." Spinelli said before she stood up and sat next to Arnold. "Listen. Right now you and Helga have both been dancing with other people as if you don't care about each other so you gotta explain to her that you didn't want to dance with Connie at all. Tell her she's the one you like, that she's the _only_ one you like. Be clear about what you feel! Instead of half-assed confessions and mixed signals!"

"I haven't done any of those!" Arnold insisted, but then saw something in Spinelli's face he couldn't help being curious about. "You're not talking about me, are you?"

"I'm talking about TJ!" Spinelli shouted, but not louder than the music. She scowled in TJ's direction. "One second, he's all over me, the next he's looking at Helga like that!"

Arnold looked towards the dancing pair, watching TJ curiously. He couldn't see anything special in the way TJ was smiling at Helga, but maybe it was because he was too dense to realize it. He definitely didn't get a vibe from him that he liked Helga the same way he liked her though. Then again, maybe he just didn't know him enough.

"Anyways," Spinelli said and looked back at Arnold. "you need to tell Helga how you feel, it's the only way to fix this. She was really jealous when you were dancing with Connie."

"She was?!"

"Whoa, hold down on the excitement!" Spinelli said and laughed heartily. Arnold grumbled and sat back on the couch, embarrassed that he had been so happy about something like that. "Yeah, she was really grumpy. Don't tell her you know that though."

Arnold nodded, accepting Spinelli's words without questioning them. He still couldn't believe it though; Helga jealous over him? He felt bad for being so happy about it, but he could hardly contain himself.

Arnold was sitting on the edge of the couch by the time Helga and TJ came back to them from the dancefloor. "Whoa! I needed that." Helga said with a big grin and parked herself next to Arnold's other side. "You have fun with Connie?"

The smile, which had been on the boy's face since she sat down next to him, faded. "No. I was trying to get away the whole time." He groaned. "She kept circling me like a vulture."

Helga smirked. "I warned ya'."

"Why didn't you save me?"

"What am I; your babysitter?"

"N-No, but - -

"Um, Helga!" Spinelli interfered. "You, uh, up for another dance with your fave gal?"

Helga looked at TJ briefly before smirking at the black-haired girl. "Thanks, but I'm pooped. I think you can convince TJ to take you dancing though."

"If you want to." TJ said as if it didn't make a difference to him. Spinelli shrugged in a similar fashion, but followed him to the dancefloor.

"Those two need to hook up already." Helga stated with a tired look in her eyes.

"Hook?" Arnold repeated in confusion.

"It means to get together as a couple."

"Oh… so you think TJ likes her likes her?"

"Likes her likes her? Oh, you've been talking to Gerald, I hear." Helga mumbled. "Of course he does! He's just horrible at showing it, just like she is. That's the only reason those two aren't an item yet."

"Item?" Arnold repeated, but shook his head when Helga was about to explain. "I think I can figure it out."

"I need to stop talking slang around you." Helga joked and laughed for a bit.

Arnold bit on his lower lip for a moment. "Do you… Do you think that if Spinelli and TJ were just honest with each other… they would hook up?" he asked awkwardly.

"Of course they would." Helga answered and smiled at Arnold. "You need to give your feelings a voice or else they'll never be heard."

Arnold could feel his body relax at those words and he couldn't help but smile. "That's… pretty poetic." He stated.

Helga shrugged. "With that being said, some things are better left unsaid." She added and took a deep breath, forcing herself to stop talking.

"Like what?' Arnold asked, feeling a tightness starting to develop around his heart.

"Like… things that hurt others or will hurt yourself in the long run." Helga said thoughtfully.

Arnold looked away, processing Helga's words. "What if… you don't know if it'll hurt someone or not?" he asked.

"I…" Helga started resolutely, but her determination seemed to falter at how sad Arnold looked. "I don't know. I guess, you won't know until you say it."

Arnold looked up at Helga, meeting her gaze. He wasn't sure why or how, but there seemed to be a sort of tension between them. The sound of the drums in the song sounded hollow to him, but he knew his heart was following the intense beat. He opened his mouth to speak, but it fell shut again right after. He screwed his eyes shut, tightened his fists and finally opened his mouth again only for a different voice to come out before his.

"Having a good time, everybody?!" Rhonda asked tipsily as she held a mic in her hand, standing near one of the walls at the far end of the room. The cheer and applause she received was answer enough. "Fabulous! Now, I think it's time for some different kind of entertainment so for those of you who aren't complete chickens can come up here and sing a song! Who will get the ball rolling?"

"Helga!" Gerald shouted excitedly and whistled.

"Fuck no!" Helga shouted, but there was clear amusement in her voice. "Why is it always me?!"

"Because you're a performer!" Sheena agreed in a shout.

"Helga! Helga! Helga!" an echo started in the room, beckoning Helga to come up and sing.

"I'm gonna kill these bastards one day." Helga said to Arnold before she got up. He couldn't help but follow her, not wanting to sit so far away when she was going to perform. He didn't understand exactly what was going on, but the others seemed so excited for it that he couldn't help but feel the same. Helga took the mic from Rhonda and looked at the crowd. "Alright, since you've forced me up here, pick a song!"

" _Momma's little boy_!" Gerald shouted. The reaction Helga had made Arnold's head tilt to the side like a confused dog. She made a small frown at Gerald, but she looked more like she didn't understand why he had requested that song and was wondering what he was plotting. She shrugged though and nodded at Rhonda who went towards the DJ. Gerald grinned proudly at Arnold. "Here's a little treat for ya'."

Arnold wanted to question Gerald, but the loud music caught his ears and he looked up at Helga, who held the mic like a professional, while playing with the wire from it. For some reason, he felt himself gulp when she started singing. " _You just turned 16 a week ago and you want to learn what you don't know. You're grown up, don't need permission. Find out what you've been missing. It took some time, but now you really wanna figure out just what it is all the other boys are talking about, and it is driving your daddy crazy 'cause momma's little boy is now my baby_." Helga sang and when the song changed its rhythm, she stomped her foot and her voice got stronger. " _I think you're ready, baby! I think you're ready, baby! Come on and get it, baby! I think you're… I think you're…_ "

Arnold wasn't sure why, but he was hanging onto every single word that came out of Helga's lips. Somehow, he felt a connection to what she was singing, but he didn't understand the lyrics. The other teenagers were giggling childishly, poking at each other or smirking at their lover and when Arnold looked at Gerald and the taller boy winked at him, he realized what the person Helga was singing about was supposedly ready for. He couldn't help the blush that spread over his body and he silently cursed Gerald's name for this so-called treat. How was he supposed to act when all he could think about was what Helga was singing about and wondering why it made such a fuss?

" _You've always followed all the rules, done just what you're supposed to do. Stick the key in the ignition and light it up. Have a taste of what it's like to be old enough. Move your body, baby, let me see you work it. Looking at you make me wanna blow a circuit and it is driving your daddy crazy 'cause momma's little boy is now my baby_."

"You're mean!" Arnold whispered in Gerald's ear. The taller boy apologized, but he didn't seem sorry at all though. On the contrary, he was trying to hold back his laughter. "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to blow to the flame you two got going on." Gerald answered. "Connie made you take a step back, but you need to remind Helga of what you made her feel on the dancefloor! This song is perfect."

"A little _too_ perfect." Arnold muttered, hoping his face wasn't red anymore and looked back at Helga.

" _Tell me, boy, if I'm mistake. All the signals that you're making brought you to the road you're taking so come on, come on, come on, come on. Let's go!_ " Helga sang and swung her head back, making her hair whip back in a way that would be perfect in a _Because you're worth it_ commercial. Then a loud, electrical noise cut the song short and all the guests groaned at the sound and held their ears. Helga scrunched up her face and covered her ears as well. "What's going on, princess?!"

Rhonda was glaring at the DJ who was apologizing to her in a panic, but she shouted at him nevertheless. "Get this working again! My whole party depends on it!" she screamed and looked at her guests. "A small technical difficulty, you guys. We'll have the music back on in a second. Just put the mic down."

"Aw, and here I was, planning to hold it for the rest of the evening." Helga said sarcastically and put the mic down on the floor before heading towards her friends. "Good that's over."

"That was awesome, Helga!" Spinelli complimented and lifted her arm.

Helga smacked her hand. "Thanks, Spin. I gotta admit, performing _is_ fun."

"You should have continued doing theater." Phoebe insisted with a smile.

"With that slave driver? Hell no."

"You could get a different teacher!"

Helga shrugged. "Naw, it wasn't _that_ much fun." She insisted and looked towards the DJ when the music came back on. "I need some air."

"The ball is gonna fall soon too, isn't it?" TJ asked and checked his watch. "Yeah! Hey, Rhonda! The Times Square Ball is gonna drop soon!"

Rhonda looked at her cell phone and realized he was right. She then took the mic and told everyone to go near the plasma TV so they could watch the ball drop. Everyone followed her except for Arnold who went to get Helga out on the balcony. She was leaning against the railing, gazing at the sky in silence. He coughed to make his presence known before he walked up next to her.

"You've learned, I see." Helga said with a smirk.

Arnold chuckled lightly and gazed at the sky. "There's gonna be fireworks once it's midnight, right?" he asked and Helga nodded. "Is it really as beautiful as everyone says?"

Helga shrugged. "Hard to say, I think it depends on the person, but you've never seen fireworks before so I think it's gonna blow your mind." She answered and looked behind her at the guests crowding around the TV. "The fireworks are more fun than the ball dropping at least."

"Why do they make a ball drop anyway?"

"Oh, don't ask me to explain that, please." Helga begged and chuckled before looking back at the blonde boy. "You're not gonna watch it with the others?"

"No, I'd… rather stay here with you." Arnold said honestly, holding Helga's gaze to make sure she understood how serious he was. She seemed surprised at his words and almost happy, but then she looked away from him and back at the sky. Arnold copied her action for a moment, but then frowned determinedly. "Helga… just so you know, for no real reason… You're, uh… You're the person I like the most in Hillwood. O-Out of everyone I've met, you're the one I care for the most."

Arnold shut his eyes, wondering if he had said it right. _That sounded extremely awkward… If my words failed, what do I do? Did she get it? Or did I just make a total fool of myself?_ He thought and turned to look at the blonde girl. She was staring at him, with wide and dewy eyes. They seemed to be shining brighter than the stars and he gulped nervously.

Helga tilted her head away a bit, still looking at Arnold. "You always say random things…" she muttered thoughtfully. Arnold almost thought he had confused her, but then a smile spread on her face. It was a small one, but it was filled with warmth and happiness. "You're a weird one, Football Head."

Arnold couldn't help the grin that spread on his face when he heard how lovingly Helga had spoken those words. _I guess she understood_. He thought before his ears noticed the other guests counting down to midnight. "You want to go in there or…?"

Helga opened her mouth, clearly about to agree, but then she shook her head. "Naw… I'd rather stay out here with you." She said with dead-honesty in her voice and Arnold had to struggle not to make a goofy grin. He moved a little closer to her so their arms were touching and he fully intended on leaving it at that, but Helga leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss on his cheek. "A New Year's Eve kiss… also a tradition."

Helga's explanation didn't fool Arnold, he could feel that she had just wanted to kiss him, but that didn't mean he couldn't use the same excuse. He kissed her cheek as well, albeit more meekly than she had kissed his. They smiled at each other before the sound of something exploding caught Arnold's ears and he almost jumped into Helga's embrace in fright. He looked towards the exploding lights and gasped in awe. The sky was lit up in colorful patterns and another rocket soared to the sky once the former had disappeared. He felt like a small child as he looked at the fireworks, but when Helga pulled at his sleeve, she had his full attention again.

"Look!" she said and pointed.

Arnold looked in the same direction she did and saw what looked like a white rocket soaring through the sky, but he knew it was a shooting star. He had seen those before in San Lorenzo and he instantly shut his eyes to make a wish. He could hear Helga giggle at his action, but when he opened his eyes, her eyes were closed as well. When she opened them, he asked what she had wished for.

"Stupid! Same as you!" Helga answered with a wide grin. A blush was starting to spread on Arnold's face, but then Helga continued talking. "I wished for you to get home. That's what you want the most, right?"

The innocent smile on Helga's face told Arnold there was no ill intention behind her words, but they stung. Not for the reason he would have thought though. What hurt him was that he realized that's what he should have wished for; to get home, see his parents and tell them he wasn't hurt. When had his worry faded? When did his urge to get home turn into fear of leaving Helga? And why did he fell guilty only until he looked at Helga again and saw those sparkling, blue eyes? When did she become the most important thing? It was honestly rather scary.

Helga could feel Arnold's sudden change in mood and put her hand on his shoulder soothingly. "Arnold… did I say something wrong?" she asked so gently that Arnold felt guilt-ridden.

"Yeah…" he answered. "I didn't wish to get home."

Helga blinked in surprise. "What… did you wish for then?" she asked, keeping her hand on his shoulder.

Arnold looked at Helga with such an intense look in his eyes that she felt frozen to the spot. He turned to face her, put his hand over the hand she had on his shoulder and put it to his heart before he stepped forward and kissed her. He could feel her flinch in surprise at his kiss, but she didn't move besides that. When he leaned back, she was observing him thoughtfully.

"That's… not really an answer." the blonde girl stated in a monotone voice.

Arnold didn't answer or try to explain, he didn't know what to say after all. He only knew that he felt shame for not wanting to leave Helga and frustration for still wanting to go home to his parents. He had never felt his heart being pulled in two different directions, but when Helga was the one to step forward and kiss him with a kind of passion he hadn't felt before, he felt his worries melt away with her kiss. He pulled her closer to him, begging her to never let him go.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: The song Helga was singing is "Daddy's little girl" by Jesse McCartney, but I changed the lyrics a bit to match it for a girl singing about a boy instead and also changed the age mentioned ;) For those of you interested, I've made a video with the song and Arnold and Helga on my channel if you want to check it out Cx**


	10. Can't ignore my feelings

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After Arnold and Helga's heated kiss at the party, Arnold needed some time to calm down and so did Helga, but not in the same way. While Arnold was getting advice from Arnold on how to act cool around Helga now, Helga was telling Phoebe how stupid she thought she was being by getting such feelings for someone who won't be around forever.**_

 _ **A misunderstand about Arnold's consent to dancing with Connie led to Helga dancing with TJ resulting in Arnold venting his feelings to Spinelli who told him not to play aloof with Helga and just be honest with her. He took her advice and had to come to terms with the fact that Helga was becoming a bigger and bigger part of him and that San Lorenzo seemed further and further away.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: Sorry for the long wait! Honestly, I've hit a sort of writing block, mixed with school, mixed with health issues and finally, I've been having video deadlines to meet for the last… two months xD**

 **On a much happier note… For those of you who may not have heard: Craig Bartlett and Nickelodeon declared officially that The Jungle Movie is in the making! It's official, we did it, Football Heads! :D If you're subscribed to me on YouTube, you can expect a video from me with Arnold and Helga including the song "Love me like you do" as soon as possible as a celebration ;D For now, enjoy the next chapter! Prepare for awkward flirting xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 10: "Can't ignore my feelings"

Arnold couldn't think of any other time he had felt this rotten, physically or emotionally. His head was throbbing, his throat was completely scorched and he had never felt like more of a terrible son. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but he fell back on his soft pillow and grabbed at his hair. He kept his eyes shut even when he felt stirring in the bed next to him.

"Feels like hell, huh?"

"Uh-huh…" Arnold said in a pathetically small voice.

"I tried to warn you." Helga sang in a gleeful singsong voice.

Arnold forced his eyes open and looked at the blonde girl's malicious smirk. "Wait… did you know I would feel like this if I drank alcohol?" he asked. Helga nodded sarcastically and he groaned. "You didn't say that!"

"Live and learn, Football Head." Helga teased and got up from her bed. "Don't worry, I'll bring you something that'll help."

"Like something to cut off my head?"

"Interesting thought; I'll note it." Helga joked before she left the room.

Arnold pulled the duvet over his head and whimpered. He wasn't sure which was worse; the actual, splitting headache or the reality of what he had realized the former night. The thought of leaving Hillwood had become less and less attractive the more he fell in love with Helga and so the guilt had awoken inside him. He couldn't believe himself; would he really be willing to just stay in Hillwood and leave his parents behind? No, of course not, that wasn't even an option, but he couldn't deny how much it hurt to think of leaving Helga. He couldn't imagine being without her, but he forced himself to get used to the idea. Staying wasn't an option though leaving wasn't an option at the moment either. He needed to find a way home soon.

Helga cooed once she returned to the bedroom. "Poor dear." She said sarcastically and sat down on the floor next to Arnold. He sat up and looked at the trey she had brought with her. "A greasy breakfast along with some juice and painkillers, that should do the trick. I've heard at least, it's not like I can say from experience."

"I guess I should have listened to you…" Arnold admitted as he tried to steady his head.

"Remember that thought." Helga said before she handed him a couple of pills. "Swallow with the juice."

Arnold frowned at the pills; he didn't like what these were supposed to do according to Helga. She had explained pills to him before and he thought it sounded suspicious, but the thought of this terrible feeling fading at least a little made him take the pills anyway. He swallowed them with slight trouble and grumbled once they were down. He looked at Helga who had little to no sympathy in her eyes and yet she moved forward to plant a kiss on his forehead as if to call him a good boy.

Arnold wasn't sure if it was the hangover that was making him dizzy or if it was Helga; nevertheless he was smiling goofily at her. "Eat." She ordered as she pushed at his head to turn his eyes away from her. He chuckled in a low voice and started eating the greasy breakfast.

Helga had been about to leave the room when he phone rang. She jumped over Arnold on the floor, leaned over her bed and grabbed her phone on the nightstand. Arnold almost choked at the sight of her bare thighs underneath the oversized shirt. He quickly grabbed the juice and nodded reassuringly at Helga when she looked worriedly at him. She talked to the person on the phone for a moment before she handed Arnold the phone, telling him Gerald wanted to talk to him.

Arnold put the strange device next to his ear. "Good morning, Gerald."

"'Morning, champ! How's the head?"

"You knew too?! Why did no one warn me?!"

"It was too funny, man!" Gerald said and chuckled. Arnold groaned again, but started munching on his piece of toast again. "Anyways, that's not why I'm calling. Helga isn't in the room, is she?"

Arnold looked at the door Helga had just gone through. "No… Why?"

"Good. Did you tell her how you feel yesterday?"

"Huh? Um… Wait a minute, I thought you said not to get clingy?"

"I realized how stupid that was."

"How?"

"Phoebe told me, ok? Let it go." Gerald said in embarrassment and Arnold couldn't help but laugh. "You need to make it clear to Helga what you feel. Also, Phoebe said to be stubborn about it because Helga might not believe you."

"Why would she not believe me?"

"Dude, you've met her family, right? Helga isn't exactly used to people caring about her. There's a part of her that'll always believe people will hurt her eventually." Gerald said in a slightly sad voice. Arnold opened his mouth, but realized he didn't know what to say. He looked sadly at the half-open door, wondering if Helga had any idea how loved she was by her friends. "That's why you need to tell her clearly."

Arnold returned his focus on Gerald again. "I think I… have… Maybe."

"What did you say?"

"Well…" Arnold started and felt the guilt tearing at him again. "Last night, when Helga and I saw a shooting star, she asked me what I wished for and I… realized I hadn't wished to come home."

Gerald was quiet for a moment. "Whoa… that's…"

"I-I know it's horrible, ok? You can't make me feel any worse than I already do." Arnold insisted guiltily. "But the thing is… when Helga asked me what I had wished for then, I kissed her and… she kissed me back."

"Um… so? You've kissed several times now."

"Y-Yeah, but I also told her she's the person in Hillwood I care about the most before that."

"Dude, that's not clear enough."

"It's not?!"

"No! Not with Helga! She needs it spelled out for her or else she won't believe it! She's not blind, Arnold, she probably already knows how you feel about her - - "

"Then - - "

"But you still need to say it!" Gerald interrupted. "Also… I probably shouldn't say this because Helga told Phoebe this in private, but… Helga's scared of you leaving too. She even told Phoebe how stupid she was to fall for you when she knew you have to go home eventually. Phoebe didn't wanna tell me, but when I told her what you told me and that I was gonna call me, she told me anyway."

Arnold could feel the phone in his head slipping out of his grip. It fell down on the mattress and he gasped in shock when it hit his leg. He picked it up again and stuttered into the phone, but he didn't know what to say. Not only was he just told that Helga did indeed feel the same way about him, but that she didn't want him to leave either. She was afraid of him leaving her behind the same way he didn't want to leave her either. He couldn't believe how happy it made him even though the guilt was still stabbing his heart.

"Dude, say something."

"I… Are you sure that… Helga feels that way about me too?"

"I knew it before Phoebe even told me." Gerald said and Arnold could hear that he was grinning. "The big problem here isn't whether you feel the same way, it's that Helga doesn't want to fall more in love with you because it'll hurt you both when you have to leave."

"But…" Arnold said in a small whimper. "I… I can't ignore what I'm feeling."

"Of course not, you're very honest." Gerald said. "You gotta convince Helga that it's ok to give in a little. I mean, as it is now it's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch when you leave anyway. You might as well enjoy each other while you're here."

Arnold couldn't help but feel a double meaning behind Gerald's words, but he decided not to ask about it. "Yes… I want to treasure the time we do have together. San Lorenzo might be far away, but we'll figure out something at some point and then… I'll have to leave. Until then, I want to spend as much time with Helga as possible."

"Cheesy." Gerald teased.

"Cheese?"

"Never mind." Gerald chuckled. "So want some flirting advice?"

"Flirting?"

"How to get Helga's heart go crazy for you!"

Arnold blushed heavily at the thought of Helga going crazy for him and he nodded eagerly. "Yes, please!"

Gerald laughed at the enthusiasm in the younger boy's voice. "Awesome! Let's see… oh, you gotta do the purr!" he insisted.

"The purr?" Arnold repeated. "You mean, the sound a jaguar makes when it's happy? You want _me_ to purr?!"

"Yes! Chicks dig the purr!"

"The… The what the what? I don't care about chickens, I care about Helga! And what's this about digging?"

"I mean girls, not chicken babies! And dig means like! Girls like the purr!" Gerald shouted in frustration and sighed. "Stop talking slang around the jungle boy…" he mumbled to himself.

"Girls like it when you purr…? Really?" Arnold asked incredulously. Somehow, he had a hard time believing that. It wasn't that he didn't trust Gerald of course, but it was just unimaginable that Helga would dig him purring.

"I swear! It makes their knees go soft." Gerald said, but then sighed. "When I say their knees go soft I mean - - "

"I know what that means!" Arnold insisted shyly. "But… I don't even know how to do it."

"Well, try and growl in a low voice."

"N-Now? While you're listening?"

"Hey, you can either embarrass yourself now or when you're trying it on Helga." Gerald pointed out and Arnold made a low huff. He looked near the door, confirming that Helga was nowhere nearby and then tried purring. Gerald's laugh told him he had failed miserably. "Ok, that wasn't horrible, but… you gotta sound more sexy!"

"Sexy?"

"Sexy is, uh… attractive."

"How… How is that sound sexy?"

"It is when you're doing it right!" Gerald insisted.

"How about you doing it then?" Arnold suggested. "Maybe if I hear it, I can copy it."

"Fine." Gerald said before he made a low purr.

Arnold blinked a couple of times in silence. "I think I know what you mean now."

"Don't go gay on me." Gerald joked and laughed heartily. "Ok, try again."

Arnold cleared his throat and tried purring a couple of times before Gerald declared that he got it. Arnold wasn't sure if he agreed or if he could even go through with it, but Gerald insisted that he should give it a go. After explaining to Arnold exactly what he should do, Gerald hung up, Arnold took a deep breath and walked out of the bedroom. Like he had expected, Helga was standing in the kitchen, preparing her own breakfast. Arnold considered dumping this plan because he could feel his heart getting stuck in his throat just by thinking of it, but Gerald had been so insistent and Arnold trusted him… sort of.

Arnold walked slowly towards Helga, knowing full well how much she hated being surprised, and put his hands on her arms. She made a small flinch, but froze on the spot when he leaned forward and purred slowly in her ear. She made a small, choked sound and then whipped her head around to stare at him, but stayed perfectly still besides that, letting his hands stay on her bare arms.

"W-W-What was th-that?" the confused girl stuttered.

"Uh…" Arnold mumbled, having no ready answer for that question. He looked around, trying to come up with something, but Helga's hand on his forehead brought him back to her eyes.

"Is your hangover that bad?" she asked with a look in her eyes Arnold couldn't recognize. Despite her question, she didn't seem worried; she seemed more suspicious than anything. He sighed gently, loving the feeling of her skin against his. He nodded meekly, hoping he could blame it on the alcohol. "Go back to bed, Football Head. I'll come in once I'm done eating, ok?"

Arnold nodded and stepped back once Helga's hand had disappeared from his forehead. He walked slowly away, pretending to feel sick, but picked up his pace once he was around the corner and went straight for Helga's phone. He didn't like using it without her knowledge, but he had a bone to pick with Gerald! And with himself; how stupid had he been to take that advice? He should have listened to his own gut this time!

 _What the hell was that?_ Helga wondered as she touched the ear Arnold had purred in. She could still feel his breath reverberating from the nape of her neck and into her ear canal. She put her hand on her heart, willing it to slow down while wondering why she even had to do that. That was perhaps the strangest thing Arnold had ever done, never mind something she had ever experienced! An actual purr from a human being, who would do that? And who would have thought she'd have this reaction to it? _It's strange though, Arnold wouldn't have thought of something like that on his own_.

Helga decided to leave her breakfast be for the moment and walked towards the bedroom. She had planned to knock on the door and asked Arnold where the cat simulation had come from when she heard his voice talking frantically to someone. She opened the door just a bit and listened as Arnold was hissing at someone on the phone.

"I'm telling you, Gerald! She looked at me like I had grown a second head!" Arnold whispered.

 _Gerald! I should have known!_ Helga thought and made an internal sigh.

"Don't laugh! This is your fault! That was the most awkward moment my entire life. What if Helga asks about it? What am I supposed to say then?" Arnold asked, but then shook his head. "You did this on purpose! You're laughing too hard for this to have been an accident! Gerald! You put me in this situation, please help me!"

 _So that's what's going on_ , Helga thought and chuckled to herself before she closed the door and walked back to the kitchen. _Arnold is taking love advice from Gerald… Oh, boy. Good luck, Football Head_.

"S-Sorry, buddy! My advice was serious, I just didn't think ahead…" Gerald insisted on the other side of the phone and forced himself to stop laughing. "I should have known Helga would think it was more weird than anything else."

"Help me!" Arnold begged in a whimper, his hangover forgotten at this point. He had never felt more embarrassed in his life.

"Ok, ok. This is solid and I think it's more your style anyway. Do the gentleman."

"The gentleman?"

"A gentleman is someone who is really polite and very kind to the girl he likes."

"Why didn't you suggest that one before?!"

"This was funnier."

"Gerald!" Arnold scolded with his cheeks flaringly red.

Gerald couldn't help but laugh again, but he calmed down quicker this time. "Sorry! Anyways, the gentleman is basically just you being really sweet to Helga. You know, complimenting her, pulling out the chair for her when she's gonna sit down, ask her if there's something you can do for her and so on."

"So… just be well-mannered?"

"Yup."

"Why does that even have a name?"

"Believe it or not, Arnold, but someone like you is actually pretty rare. Most boys wouldn't do that shit unless they're trying to go for a one-night stand."

"A what?"

"Just… Just be yourself, ok?" Gerald suggested before he said goodbye and hung up.

Arnold frowned at Helga's phone before he put it back on the nightstand and sighed. He stood up from the floor and walked out of the bedroom. Once he was in the kitchen, Helga was on her way towards the table with a glass of juice. She put it on the table and looked up at him.

"Oh, Arnold. Good, listen - - "

"Wait, wait!" Arnold begged and jogged behind Helga to grab her chair. She looked at him over her shoulder as he pulled the chair out for her. She lifted a curious eyebrow, but sat down anyhow.

"Thanks. Listen, Arnold - - "

"I-Is there anything I can do for you?" Arnold asked with a smile, hoping it didn't seem too tense.

"What?" Helga questioned in confusion even as he walked back into the kitchen area. She counted her blessings that her apartment was designed with a kitchen-dining area so she could see him perfectly.

"This time, I'll make breakfast for _you_." Arnold declared excitedly and looked at the kitchen desk, observing the things Helga had already taken out.

Helga was about to argue against it, but couldn't help but be curious. "Oh, really?" she asked teasingly, folded her fingers and rested her chin on the joint ligaments. "And how are you gonna do that? You can't cook."

"You just eat yoghurt and fruits in the morning, I can do that much." Arnold insisted and took the carton of yoghurt, poured it into the bowl and then looked at the fruit.

"The knives are in the drawer to your left." Helga said, knowing full well that the boy had never used a knife before in his life, not the way it was designed to be used anyway. She was honestly a little worried about him hurting himself, but it was a little fun to see him try so hard.

Arnold grabbed the smallest knife he could find and moved it over one of the apples. He observed it for a while, trying to figure out the best way to cut it when he heard Helga chuckle behind him, asking him if he needed any help. He shook his head stubbornly and tried cutting through the apple, but the knife didn't go through. He tried again, but when it still didn't work, he declared that the knife was broken.

Helga couldn't help but laugh. "You're using a butter knife! It's not sharp enough to cut through an entire apple." She informed him.

Arnold huffed as he put the knife back in the drawer. "How am I supposed to know?"

"That's why I asked if you wanted help. Take the knife all the way to the right."

Arnold took the knife without looking at it and then cut through the apple. Only then did he see the sharp edges on the blade and couldn't help but be a little nervous about holding it. He kept cutting the apple though, as carefully as he could. He wondered how Helga could do it as quickly as she did each morning, but he supposed it was practice. He looked at her over his shoulder when he felt a sensation of being observed. Helga was indeed looking at him, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand and looking unbelievably enticing to him. Unfortunately, his hand kept cutting without him looking and a sharp pain literally cut through him.

"Moron!" Helga called, not in an angry voice, but in a worried one and jogged towards him. She shoved the cutting board away, grabbed Arnold's hand and turned on the cold water. He hissed a bit at the feeling of water running down the laceration on his finger, but sighed in relief when the coldness seemed to numb the pain. "What were you thinking? Not looking at where you were cutting like that."

"I-I wasn't thinking at all, I guess…" Arnold admitted meekly, sighing in embarrassment. _So much for that; I ended up having her take care of me instead_. He thought. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Helga repeated in surprise and looked at Arnold, but he didn't meet her gaze. He kept looking at their joined hands under the faucet with a shy look in his eyes. She looked in the same direction for a moment before she smiled at him. She spoke his name softly and when he finally looked at her, she gave him a small peck on his lips. "You know, it's really sweet that you're trying so hard… but don't take advice from Gerald anymore, ok?"

Arnold felt his body freeze in shock. "What?"

Helga smirked. "It's pretty obvious that you've been asking Gerald how to act around me. I mean, these are the same tricks he used to land Phoebe." She informed and turned off the faucet, but kept her hand on his. "They won't work on me, you know."

Arnold's entire face was flushed tomato red at this point and he tried looking away, but Helga used her other hand to make him look at her again. "How…" he stuttered. "How did you know that?"

"Shouldn't you be asking why those tricks won't work on me too instead?" she asked with a knowing look in her eyes. She didn't give him the chance to take her advice though. "They won't work on me because Gerald isn't the one I like."

Arnold had shut his eyes tightly almost as soon as Helga had forced him to look at her again, but they sprung open at those words. _Like?_ He repeated in his mind and looked at her, resembling a deer caught in the headlights. _Helga likes me? I'm the one Helga likes?_

At Arnold's silence, Helga couldn't help but wonder if her observation skills were lacking around him. She had been pretty sure of herself and his feelings until this moment when he stared at her and nothing else. She let her hand fall away from his face and let go of his hand. The smirk on her face faded and she wished she could crawl into a hole. She was sure she had misunderstood him, that everything had been in her head. That all the moments she thought they had shared had been in her mind and had been due to his innocent curiosity.

Helga was about to take a step back and pretend to have been joking when Arnold threw his arms around her. The sudden weight surprised her and she fell a couple of steps back and the only thing that saved them from dropping was her hands landing on the counter behind her. She was about to yell that he was an idiot for doing that so suddenly and they could have seriously gotten hurt when his lips on hers silenced her successfully. Helga made a low gasp of surprise and kept still for a moment, letting his action process in her mind. His lips were trembling and his hands were thrown awkwardly into her hair in a desperate fashion, but those were the things that told her that she hadn't been wrong after all.

Helga moved one of her hands into Arnold's hair and started to kiss back. She massaged the back of his neck, coaxing him into altering the position of his neck. Once she had easier access, she licked his lips with her tongue and the small, choked sound he made turned her on even more this time than last night. She moved her other hand to his hips and was pulling him a little closer when she realized she could feel his skin against her palm. She stopped the kiss when she remembered that he was still in his boxers and she was still in her nightshirt. She didn't want to stop the kiss, but the skin contact had taken her by surprise.

Arnold seemed fine with the small break if his bated breathing was anything to go by. "I like you too." he said to make sure she understood.

Helga's face was already flushed from the kiss so she didn't blush any further at Arnold's confession. "Yeah, I… had a feeling you did." She said instead and played with a lock of his hair. She chuckled breathlessly as she put it behind his ear. Arnold got a felicitous look in his eyes; it even resembled that of a puppy being scratched behind its ear. If he had a tail, he'd be wagging it. Helga never thought she'd experience this kind of power and she wasn't sure how to feel about it. It made her confident, but also fearful of hurting him. "Arnold… have you thought this through?"

"Huh?" the blonde boy muttered while his eyes got less cloudy. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… what's the use, you know?" Helga said and let her hand fall back on the counter, leaving Arnold feeling cold. "I know it's not around the corner, but at some point we'll figure out a way to get you home… then we'll be 3.000 miles away from each other."

 _So this s what Gerald was talking about_ , Arnold thought and put his thoughts in order before he spoke. "I know and I'm scared too. On one hand I want to go home, but on the other I don't want to leave you… so I get that it seems stupid and maybe even painful, but I can't ignore my feelings and I don't want to. Going home is gonna hurt no matter what so I'd rather enjoy the time I have with you while I can."

Helga had been hanging onto every word Arnold spoke so she almost flinched when he stopped talking. "You…" she whispered though she wasn't sure what she had been planning on saying. So, as if giving up, she sighed and shook her head. "You're really dumb."

Arnold resembled a dog with the way he was tilting his head to the side in confusion. He seemed about to ask her what she meant, but Helga shook her head at him. She moved her hand up and put the same lock of hair back in place as she had before. She smiled at him for a bit before she nodded and headed back to her cutting board. Arnold blinked a couple of times as he watched her.

"You can go back to bed now, Arnold. It's a bad idea to move about when you're hungover." Helga said with a sincere smile.

Arnold fidgeted. "I feel better now… I don't want to go back to bed." he insisted.

Helga turned her head to look at him and then sighed. "You weren't kidding when you said you didn't wanna leave me, huh?" she asked the now blushing and frowning boy and chuckled. "Fine, but no adventures today. Let's make it a binge-watching day."

"A what?"

"Lots of movies." Helga clarified.

"Oh! I'll go turn on the TV then!" Arnold declared and jogged out of the kitchen.

"Actually Netflix is… Oh, never mind. Movies are movies." Helga mumbled to herself and chuckled again, dumped her breakfast and went to get popcorn instead. _Weirdest fucking morning ever_.

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 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: Think this chapter was shorter than the others? Confession: it is. It's about 4.500 words and I usually never let it be less than 5.000. Frankly, I've just hit a bit of a writer's block and I've been so busy with school, editing and also been sick so unfortunately, this story's priority has dropped in the meantime. I'm gonna try to get it back on track since we're getting close to the end, but after that I might take a break from fanfiction writing. I'm not gonna go on some long hiatus, I just need to get my mojo back xD**


	11. A little too excitedly

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **Given that Arnold had never had a sip of alcohol before, it was no surprise that he woke up to a hangover the morning after New Year's eve. Helga may have been gleeful, but she also promised to take care of Arnold who was also hungover with guilt after having caught himself wishing to be with Helga more than wishing to go home.**_

 _ **Gerald called Helga's phone and she gave it to Arnold who was told to flirt with Helga as much as he could. After the first failed attempt, Arnold tried again only for Helga to tell him that she already liked him. Despite telling him that she feared the day he was going to leave, they finally came to an understand of each other's feelings.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: THE BITCH IS BACK! Ha-ha, just kidding, but seriously though, did you miss me? xD I don't think I've ever felt this accomplished from finishing a chapter in a story than I feel now because the hiatus just lasted way too long, almost 2 months! During that time, a lot of you have given me really encouraging words and messages, telling me to take my time to get back on track. I have to say though that like 2% of those messages only served to hurt me… I don't want to go into detail, because I don't want to call out on anyone and we really are talking like a few messages, but telling me stuff like: "Please finish this, I'm crying!" or "I was depressed until I read your stories so please don't stop!" really is NOT a good way to encourage any writer to continue… I know the people writing this didn't mean any harm, but it felt like someone's well-being was put on my shoulders and that's a scary thing to be told, so please, don't write something like that. It'll only scare me off.**

 **Ok, but to be real here: I don't know whether this means that my author's block is gone or not, I really can't say until I sit down and try to write the next chapter, but I have a pretty good feeling right now! I'm still stressed, still feel like I have too much shit to do all the time and I'm still sick the only way I know how to be sick it seems, but I feel pumped after finishing this chapter and I hope that will continue.**

 **WARNING! VERY descriptive lime ahead! xD**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 11: "A little too excitedly"

Arnold couldn't remember the last time he and Helga had watched a movie though he had watched plenty at this point. He still remembered the first time he had ever watched a movie and the way he had panicked at the people inside the small box. Soon, he fell in love with movies though and got completely immersed into the world of acting and storytelling. Helga had shown him all kinds of movies, all from comedies to horrors to fantasy and cartoons. He couldn't say which genre he preferred because he loved all of them. There was a certain charm to each genre though there was a genre he had yet to watch; romance. He knew it existed, Helga just hadn't shown him a movie yet that was categorized as that. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he wanted to try and watch one with her.

As the credits rolled, Helga stretched her arms. "I think I'll go and make us some popcorn. You want to pick a new movie, Football Head?" she asked as she got up from the couch.

"Sure." Arnold replied and jumped down on the floor, looking through the movie titles while Helga went into the kitchen.

Arnold knew what he wanted; a romance movie. All he had to go by though where the covers and titles and sometimes those could be deceiving, he had realized though most of them gave an idea what the movie would be like though. He finally found one with a cover of a blonde woman wearing a red dress while holding the tie of a man who was wearing a goofy smile on her face. Somehow, Arnold couldn't help but see a bit of himself and Helga in that couple. She definitely had him where she wanted him and he copied the smile of the man on the cover.

"Found one?" Helga asked as she reappeared in the living room, carrying a bowl of popcorn. Arnold showed her the cover. "Oh, that's the one Sid gave me some years ago. Never got around to watch it."

"How come?"

"Because _Sid_ gave it to me." Helga joked and sat back down on the couch. "But one time has to be the first."

Arnold put the DVD in the machine and went back to sit next to Helga. He grabbed some popcorn, but lost his grip on them when some heavy music came from the speakers. Helga giggled at his reaction even though she had been just as surprised. A scene taking place at a nightclub started and Helga snuggled back into the couch. Arnold recognized the blonde girl from the cover dancing at the club. A guy was watching her with a smirk on his face, and it was the guy from the cover. The blonde girl caught his eyes, licked her lips and winked at him. Somehow, because she looked so much like Helga, Arnold found himself feeling nervous. It hadn't helped that the girl had looked directly into the camera while winking. The blonde girl gave the guy a knowing look and then walked away from the dancefloor. The guy put down the class of scotch he had been sipping on and proceeded to following her.

The next scene took place out on the street, the girl's heels clinking on the wet asphalt while the guy was following her. When she turned a corner and disappeared, he followed her only to be grabbed by her. She pulled him into a searing kiss and that was when Arnold felt his cheeks heat up. Part of him wanted to see Helga's reaction, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene.

" _Fuck me,"_ the blonde girl demanded in a husky voice.

 _There's that word again_ , Arnold thought and felt his legs moving uncomfortably.

A close-up of the guy's hand on the girl's leg appeared and he pulled down the black panties underneath the red dress. He then proceeded to lift her up, using the wall behind her as leverage. Just as the girl gasped, the screen went black and everything disappeared. Arnold shook his head in confusion, coming back from a trance-like state and looked at Helga who had just gotten off couch.

"Helga?' Arnold asked in confusion, but the girl simply grabbed the bowl of popcorn and walked towards the kitchen.

"I-I just realized I forgot to salt these." Helga explained briefly before disappearing.

Arnold blinked in confusion and licked his lips. _There was plenty of salt on those…_ He thought and looked towards the TV, confirming that she hadn't paused the movie, but turned the TV off completely. The scene they had been watching just before flashed through his mind and he frowned. He got up from the couch and followed Helga into the kitchen. "Why did you stop the movie?"

"I just miss-clicked, I meant to pause it."

"Then… can I start it again?" Arnold asked though he already had a feeling she wouldn't say yes.

Helga sighed and looked at the blonde boy over her shoulder. "I don't think it's a good idea that we watch that kind of movie, Arnold." she said. "I just realized why I never watched the movie… Sid told me what it was about and… I just don't think it's a good idea, ok?"

"Why? What were they about to do?" Arnold asked in slight confusion. He knew what the kissing was and what it made him feel when he did it, but that F-word still puzzled him. What did it mean to do that to someone and what did kissing have to do with it? And was that, whatever it meant, what he wanted to do with Helga since he loved kissing her so much? Was that the next stage after kissing? _Fucking_?

Helga turned around, staring at Arnold with wild eyes. "You don't… know?" she asked. Arnold shook his head. "How can you… How can you not know?"

Arnold frowned. "I don't know what _fucking_ means, Helga! Only that Gerald said it was something you'd probably teach me about soon."

Helga flushed bright red and sighed as she smacked her entire face. "Gerald needs to keep his mouth shut." She muttered to herself. She let her hand run through her hair and took a couple of deep breaths. It made Arnold impatient.

"What is the big secret?" he asked. "Everyone seems to know what it is, but no one will tell me."

"It's not… I mean, at our age you usually don't have to… _tell_ people what it is so—"

"I get that there's a lot of things that I don't know, but it's never been a problem until now! You've always taught me, Helga, why is this so different?!" Arnold asked in frustration. This feeling inside of him that had been growing and growing since meeting Helga was starting to tear him apart because he didn't understand it. What made it more frustrating was that everyone else seemed to understand it except him. How could they know what he felt when he himself didn't?

"It just is, ok?!" Helga shouted and seemed to want to say something more, but changed her mind and looked away.

Arnold growled to himself, contemplating what to do, but his body was working faster than his brain. "If you won't tell me, I'll just find out myself!" he declared and went back to the living room.

"You-You're kidding…" Helga muttered to herself, but heard the TV turn back on.

The blonde girl walked back and forth in the kitchen as she heard the sounds from inside the living room before she finally walked back in there. She stayed in the doorframe though with perfect view of the TV, the couch and Arnold standing leaned over the couch rather than having sat back down. He still had the remote in his hand while staring at the TV. Helga couldn't see his face as the couple on the TV were doing what they were doing, but she had a feeling his expression was a mixture of curiosity and shock. When the scene was over and the title of the movie came onto the screen, Arnold turned the TV off again. He was quiet for a bit, but then turned his head to look at Helga, his face completely flushed like an overactive child.

"What… was that?"

Helga made a small smile at Arnold's innocent question. "That was sex… or, as you've learned to call it, _fucking_." She explained.

Arnold blinked, recognizing the word. "I thought Gerald was talking about the number at first…" he confessed and let the remote slip from his hand and let it fall down the couch. "He said… H-He said I was looking at you like I wanted to… _fuck you brains out_."

Helga felt her heart punching her chest once before a series of small pumps overtook it. She looked away, hiding her red face behind the blonde locks. "W-Well… I kinda knew that already. Sorta. I mean… Arnold, you're very honest. I can see it myself even without you telling me." she said and felt an embarrassed smile spread on her face. It was a little unfair really; Arnold couldn't see those things himself after all.

"How come I'm so see-through?" Arnold asked, his eyebrows knitting together.

Helga gave a low chuckle and walked towards him. "Because in this modern world we live in, people are taught how to hide what they feel." she explained and hugged him from behind. "You, on the other hand, were never taught that."

"How come people hide what they feel?" Arnold asked, ignoring the feeling of Helga's breasts pressed against his back. He had put on a t-shirt earlier before they started watching movies, but he could still feel every inch of her.

Helga shrugged. "I think it's just… something that comes naturally. It's a little scary to think that everyone knows what you feel all the time."

Arnold's mouth became two thin lips. "It's kinda unfair…" he mumbled and looked at her over his shoulder. "I never know what _you're_ thinking."

Helga gave Arnold a calm, curious look. "You want to know what I'm thinking that badly?" she asked in a low voice akin to a whisper; it sent shivers down the boy's spine. He nodded slowly and she made a low hum. "Right now… I'm thinking that you're probably right."

"A-About… what?" Arnold asked with a gulp in his voice. Helga seemed to have leaned closer and closer to him as they had spoken and she was mere inches away from his face at this point.

"About it being unfair… that everyone knows about something you don't."

Arnold wasn't sure if it was the feeling of Helga's body against his own, the sound of her breathing, the sight of her face so close or all of it mixed together, but his heart was speeding up and he was panting more now than he ever had during his runs through the jungle. "Then… you will tell me?"

"No,"—Helga moved her hands down Arnold's arms until they reached his fingers—"I'll show you."

Any questions Arnold might have had left were forgotten when Helga's lips met his once again. He closed his eyes, pressing his mouth against hers with all of his might. Her hands stayed atop his and he could feel her fingers tangling with his. He wanted to turn around to face her properly, but she didn't move an inch. He wondered if she was keeping him there on purpose or if she hadn't noticed him trying to turn around so he tried again.

"Don't." Helga warned, put her hand on his head and turned his face away from hers. "I might lose my nerve if you look at me."

"But… can we do this without facing each other?" Arnold asked in a pathetically husky voice. Frankly, he wouldn't mind not facing Helga right then; he had a feeling he'd be incredibly embarrassed during this and leaving it all to her sounded very tempting.

" _This_ we can do…" Helga explained and bit on Arnold's earlobe, causing the inexperienced boy to gasp loudly in surprise. "Have you ever touched yourself?"

"Huh? W-What do you mean?" Arnold stuttered.

"I mean… _here_." Helga specified and put her hands on the place where his thighs connected to his hips. He jerked at the feeling of her fingers so close to the source of this intense sensation inside him. He shook his head, wondering why he'd want to touch that in particular. "Hm, no wonder you act like a maiden from the 1800 century then."

Arnold wanted to ask what that meant, but Helga's fingers suddenly scratched his inner thigh and he made do with gasping her name instead. "W-What am I supposed to do?"

"Nothing. Only, tell me if you change your mind or if I'm… scaring you or something." Helga said.

 _Scaring me?_ Arnold thought. He was feeling many things, but fear wasn't one of them. Curiosity, nervousness and this tingling sensation, yes, but not fear. He couldn't be afraid of Helga no matter how he thought about it.

The blonde wasn't sure how someone like Arnold would react to a thing as foreign as this. It was hard to imagine a 16-year-old boy that had never masturbated, but she assumed it was due to his upbringing. Frankly, she wondered if he ever had the time or energy to figure out what hitting puberty meant. And part of her was pissed at his parents for not clearing those things up for him, but if he himself had never asked, perhaps they had figured he wasn't interested in talking about it? Or maybe his parents were those awkward kind of people who were uncomfortable talking about it? Then again, maybe growing up in the jungle was just way more different than growing up in a big city.

While continuing to massage Arnold's thighs over his boxers, Helga started kissing him wherever she could reach; cheek, ear, throat, neck and shoulder. Each little peck sent a rush of excitement through Arnold and he could feel the reaction going straight to where Helga had asked whether he had touched or not. Now he wondered if that meant _she_ was going to touch that place at some point, especially since her hands kept roaming around it. He shoved the thought away, it was too unimaginable, and succumbed to what his body was feeling rather than what his brain was thinking.

Helga could feel herself becoming braver from the way Arnold was reacting to her touches and kisses. She grabbed at the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. He helped as much as he could, but his hands were thrown back on the back of the couch now with his t-shirt wrapped around his wrists. The cold air hit his skin, but hot hands warmed it up. They ran over his arms and to his hips and to his chest. He felt his entire body jerk when her fingers ghosted over his nipples on their way to his stomach. They stopped though, almost as if their owner was surprised at his reaction, and went back to his nipples, touching them more deliberately. The boy whimpered at the strange feeling and wiggled in her grasp.

 _Interesting reaction,_ Helga thought. She had assumed it was only girls who would have that kind of response, but she wasn't going to question it.

Her mouth kissed his neck and made a trail of kisses down his spine until she reached his hips and she got back up on her feet again. She then kissed the nape of his neck before letting her hands continue their journey to his hips. She massaged the hips for a moment, trying to warn him what she was about to do, but he still gasped when her fingers slithered inside the waistband.

"You ok?" Helga whispered, but that only served to tickle Arnold. He nodded though he wasn't sure if he was being honest or not.

Helga's fingers continued to massage and scratch Arnold's thighs inside his boxer shorts. Part of him wanted to tell her to move on already and the other wanted to push her away and run into the bedroom and hide in there for the rest of his life. He was embarrassed that his body was acting beyond his brain and he had no control over anything. He could feel his legs shaking, but he kept standing nevertheless.

Helga decided that she couldn't postpone it any longer and let her fingers touch the hardened flesh. Arnold made a very small flinch and winced again when she moved her fingers. Her fingers circled the sensitive head and its owner was shivering in apprehension and delight. She moved around slowly, barely touching him, trying to make him relax. What she didn't know was that she was being more torturous than gentle to the poor boy in her embrace and he was too affected to tell her that.

To Arnold's luck, Helga was an impatient and curious girl so she soon moved all of her fingers around him and tightened her grip. He gasped at the warmth surrounding him and bit on his lower lip to hold his moans back. It was extremely weird to hear yourself make sounds like that and to Arnold, it was even worse because it was his first time hearing himself like that. His dull fingernails dug desperately into the cushion of the couch as Helga kept working him. Her hands were moving up and down in slow, languid motions, occasionally tightening her grip. Then one of her hands surged down further and Arnold choked on the air.

"H-Helga, th-that feels weird!" the boy complained, his hips starting to move against her hand on their own.

"Does it feel bad?" Helga questioned, loosening her grip, but continued pumping and massaging.

Arnold thought about his answer for a bit. "N… N-No…" he finally admitted. "It just feels… weird."

'Then excuse me while I continue." Helga said hurriedly before biting down on Arnold's shoulder, eliciting a gasp from him.

"H-Helga…" Arnold moaned and recoiled when her nails scraped delicately on the underside. _Shit!_ He thought and he didn't care. He had never understood why anyone would need to use swears, but now he did. There was simply no other word befitting the situation or what he was feeling other than a swear.

"Arnold…" Helga whispered and he noticed how rough her voice sounded. "Can I take it a step further?"

Arnold wanted to ask what a step further was because he already felt on the edge of something he didn't know what was, but he felt his head nod on its own account. He wanted to let her do whatever she wanted as long as it wasn't stopping. He hadn't expected her to turn him around though, having him lean against the couch while facing her. He was met with a brutal kiss, her hand never stopping its movement. Their kisses had been passionate before and this was downright sloppy, but none of them could care any less.

Helga pulled Arnold's t-shirt off his wrists when she realized it was still hanging there. As soon as his hands were free, Arnold put them back on the couch because he had a feeling he couldn't stand on his own once she took this a step further. He could feel his boxers slipping down to his ankles and the cold air hit him harder than he thought, but her hands kept him warm. He felt nervous again, knowing full well that if she wasn't kissing him, she could see everything. When she stopped kissing him, he gulped nervously, having only a slight clue what was to come.

Helga pecked Arnold's lips once before making a trail down his chest. She let out her tongue and he jerked against her mouth as she went down on her knees. The feeling of her warm, soft and yet rough tongue on his skin was a completely new sensation and Arnold felt himself struggle to keep upright. She kissed his hipbone gently and he had to force himself to stay still. What she did was as ticklish as it was arousing. She put her hands on his thighs to keep him still and he was grateful for that, but it didn't stop his shivering.

"Arnold, relax." Helga ordered gently before kissing him below his belly button.

"Ea-Easy for you to say…" Arnold whimpered pathetically and shut his eyes tightly. The sight of her on her knees in front of him was too much to handle.

Helga dared looking at what was in front of her, something she had only seen on the occasional picture or porn. She stared at it in slight shock. It didn't look weird in any way, but she was extremely tempted to make a dirty joke about how it was true that everything truly did grow larger in the jungle. This wasn't the time for jokes though, she knew Arnold wouldn't appreciate it despite the compliment, so she put her hands on it once again. Now that she could see what she was doing, she felt some shyness return to her, but she shoved it away. She thought about all the things she had wondered, questions she had about this part of sex and sighed mentally when she realized that she couldn't exactly ask her partner about these things. But that also meant that she got to experiment on a different level other girls didn't because the boy she was doing this to was completely inexperienced himself.

Feeling renewed energy, Helga stuck out her tongue and licked the tip tentatively. Arnold made the loudest gasp she had heard so far and when she looked up, he was holding his own mouth in embarrassment. She wanted to chuckle because he was just too cute to handle, but instead she felt her sadistic side take over, so she repeated the action. He gasped again, but mostly his entire body jerked as if struggling between moving into her touch or holding back.

Helga had been feeling cocky until she noticed a trail of something white leak. _Shit_ , she thought and did something that was purely instinctive; she stuck out her tongue and licked it up. She had to hold back a grimace at the sour taste, but it wasn't as bad as she had feared. She knew it was far from over though and went back to kissing along the shaft and finally on the tip. Hearing Arnold's moans and even whimpers did something to her that didn't really surprise her; she felt powerful. The fact that she could make him putty in her hands was empowering in every way.

Helga tangled her fingers with Arnold's on the couch and held onto them. He instantly tightened his grip on her fingers and she knew her instinct had been right. It was a little difficult without hands, but Helga managed to get her mouth around the enlarged flesh and successfully envelop it. Arnold made a prolonged gasp as she moved her mouth down as far as she could go. She opened her eyes, noticing she hadn't reached the end and felt her competitive spirit strike. She pulled back a bit, but never let go and tried again, fighting against the urge to gag. It took her a couple of tries, but she finally reached the end of it and felt more victorious than what was appropriate. In her triumph, she continued her bopping at a quicker pace.

"H-Helga! Wait!" Arnold pleaded and tried shaking her hands to bring her out of whatever trance she had gotten herself into.

Helga seemed to have lost her sense of hearing because she wasn't listening to him at all. He had been calling her name ever since he had entered her mouth. He wanted to warn her that something was happening with him, something he desperately wanted to either hold back or at least know what was before it happened. It was an overpowering feeling and he wanted to avoid it as much as he wanted to welcome it. He dug his nails into her hands and shook them desperately and she finally seemed to slow down enough to look up at him. The sight was enticing, but Arnold forced himself to calm down.

"S-Something's wrong." He said, his body shivering from the feeling. Helga seemed to be shooting him a questioning glance, silently asking him to explain. "I-I feel like… like, I, uh…"

Helga realized what Arnold was talking about even though he himself didn't. She gave an attempted smile at him, tightened her grip on his hands and continued what she had been doing until he had interrupted her. A sentence he had tried to speak turned into a choke when the feeling overpowered him again. He made a gurgled, incomprehensible warning before his body shook to its core. Helga cringed at the strange feeling inside her mouth, but kept still as Arnold hit his very first orgasm. When he seemed to have calmed down, she pulled away carefully, swallowing as she did so.

 _Well, it ain't sweet…_ Helga thought and looked up at Arnold who looked like a tired, but satisfied child. She pulled his boxers back up and got up from the floor, feeling her knees ache, but she ignored it. She grabbed his t-shirt and put it back on him, thinking he would feel cold in the wake of his orgasm. She pulled it over him and got little to no help from him.

"You need to sit down?" Helga asked gently and got a nod from the satiated boy in return. She couldn't help but smirk at how contented he looked as she helped him sit down on the couch. She sat down with him, letting him rest his head on her lap as he fell down. She caressed his hair for a bit, wondering if this counted as after sex cuddling.

Arnold finally opened his eyes and looked up at the blonde goddess above him. He gave a tired smile. "What… happened… by the end?"

"You just experienced your first orgasm." Helga explained, leaned down and nuzzled her nose against his.

"A what?"

"Orgasm. That's what you call that thing that happens when you feel what you did by the end."

"It was amazing!" Arnold bellowed and Helga couldn't help but snicker.

"You seemed totally freaked out though."

"Yeah! I mean… for a second, I thought I was going to pass out and I didn't understand what it was…"

"Well, I can tell you that if that _hadn't_ happened, I would have been very unhappy."

Arnold smiled breathlessly. "Can I… Can I make you feel that way too?" he asked with a sort of innocent hope in his voice.

Helga jerked at the question, feeling her heart speed up. She scratched her head innocently. "W-Well… I guess, technically…" she answered. "B-But I'm not built the same you are so…"

Arnold looked away in thought for a moment. "I know that…" he said before grinning a bit. "But still, I'd like to make you to feel the same."

Helga felt her cheeks flush, but a sort of serene smile spread on her face. "Sure… but not now. I think we're both a little emotionally exhausted." She said despite feeling tempted to say the opposite.

"So, I can some other time?"

"You asked that a little too excitedly!" Helga scolded and smacked Arnold gently on the head.

"Sorry,"—Arnold rubbed his head while wearing a goofy smile—"it just excites me that I might be able to make you feel that way too."

"Arnold… not to burst your bubble, but you just had your first orgasm… I had my first a long time ago."

Arnold's world seemed to shatter a little bit. "Oh… Oh, you mean you've done this before?"

"Done this…? What? No!" Helga bellowed and couldn't help but laugh. "No, not at all, this was my first time doing anything like that."

"Then what—"

"Remember when I asked you if you had touched yourself before? I've done that so I've already had plenty of orgasms."

"Oh…" Arnold hummed in understanding and felt his cheeks flush. "So you've… touched yourself like that…"

Arnold didn't have a clear understand of how girls masturbated, but the thought still flickered in his mind and he couldn't help but feel embarrassed while imagining it. He soon felt Helga's glare on him and he grinned innocently. She rolled her eyes, clearly knowing full well what he had been thinking about. Not that she blamed him of course.

Arnold frowned. "I'm probably going to need more help than you." He observed.

"I had no idea what I was doing, Football Head." Helga half-lied. She did know more about such things than Arnold did after all, but it wasn't like she had tried it before.

"It didn't feel like it."

"That's only because you've never tried it before." Helga insisted and kissed him sweetly. "You'll do fine."

Arnold smiled at Helga, feeling more peaceful than he had in a long time. He wasn't sure if it was because of the earth-shattering orgasm or if he just felt at peace with her, but he felt himself slipping into a nap. His former worries seemed to have disappeared and excitement and love had overshadowed them.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: Told you it was a descriptive lime scene… I don't think I've ever focused so much on a hand and blowjob EVER xD I hope I haven't lost my sense for smut during my hiatus… Also, I wasn't sure how to go about Arnold's feelings towards the whole thing. I wanted to keep him very innocent, given the fact that he has no idea what's going on with his body, but I also didn't want him to sound like a baby so it was hard finding that balance I think. I can only hope I succeeded xD**

 **Also, the movie Arnold and Helga are watching is fictional. I considered finding a movie with a sexual scene in the beginning, but I was too lazy to sit down and legitimately try and find one xD**


	12. Why can't I get both?

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **During Arnold and Helga's movie marathon, Arnold finally got the chance to choose a movie himself. To both blondes' surprise though, it started out with a heavily sexual scene and Helga left the room in embarrassment. Refusing to go on without knowing what the big deal was, Arnold watched the rest of the scene and Helga agreed to teach him a little bit about what it is couples do behind closed doors.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: This took me a bit longer to write than I would have preferred, but hey! I'm writing at least xD I think after this chapter, there's also only about… two-three chapters left… Criminy :O**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 12: "Why can't I get both?"

"What are your parents like anyway?" Helga asked, her eyes glued to their joined hands.

Arnold hesitated in answering, not because he didn't want to, but because he was so focused on this new little game Helga had taught him. "They're really good people. Everyone in the village loves them."

"Like they love you?" Helga asked before the thumb caught Arnold's. "Got ya'!"

Arnold groaned before they started again. "It's not quite the same… The Green eyes love my parents because they have saved their lives over and over again… With me, it's more like… they fear me a little bit because of this idea that I'm divine somehow."

"You think they're worried about you? The Green Eyes, I mean. Of course your parents are."

"Probably not worried… More like, fearful that I'm not there to protect them."

"With your divinity?" Helga joked. "Maybe they'll realize you're not a demigod now?"

"Maybe…"

Helga cooed. "Disappointed you might not be worshipped anymore?"

"No! I'd prefer it if they'd stop it. It's a lot more fun here where people aren't afraid to touch me."

Helga stopped moving her finger and looked at Arnold for a moment before leaning forward and putting her other hand on his cheek. "Is that what you'll miss the most? Being touched?" she asked in a low voice.

Arnold gulped. "It's… definitely high on the list." He admitted breathlessly.

Helga smiled as she leaned back again. "Don't you have any other family member by the way?" she asked and captured his thumb again.

Arnold growled in annoyance and committed to keeping his eyes on their hands. "Yes, my dad's parent. I've never met them, but I've seen a picture my dad has of them and I think dad sent them one of me at some point."

"That's it?"

"Well, I also write letters to them and them to me."

"What?!" Helga exclaimed and Arnold almost got her thumb, but she avoided it. "Why the hell haven't you mentioned that before?! That's kinda important info, bucko!"

"Because I don't know where they live. I only write the letter and give it to my dad."

"And what does he do with it?"

"Uh… I don't know."

"You never _once_ wondered how those letters got from San Lorenzo to your grandparents?!" Helga asked and Arnold looked at her in embarrassment. She sighed in annoyance. "Criminy… but still, this might help. You know their names?"

"Phil and Gertrude."

Helga froze. _No way._

"Yes!" Arnold exclaimed happily when he finally caught Helga's thumb. "I won!"

"Idiot!" Helga yelled. "Focus! What's their last name?!"

"Same as mine."

"Which is?" the impatient girl asked.

Arnold scratched his head thoughtfully. He didn't think about his last name too often because it was useless in the jungle. "Short… something, uh…" he mumbled.

"Shortman?"

"Yes!"—Arnold snapped before his head got smacked—"Ow! What was that for?!"

'I _know_ your grandparents!"

The hand, Arnold had been using to rub the sore spot on his head, froze mid-stroke. "What…?" he drawled. "How can you know them?"

"How many couples in their 80's are called Phil and Gertie Shortman?"

"How do you know her nickname is Gertie?"

"Because I know them, I just told you! There isn't a single person in Hillwood who doesn't know them. They're the oldest people here, but they act like they're 20!"

Arnold couldn't believe it. It did indeed sound like his grandparents, but it just seemed too crazy and convenient to be true. How could his grandparents have lived this close to him all this time? His thought were interrupted by Helga when she got up from the couch.

"Well, come on!"

"Where are we going?"

"To see your grandparents, of course!"

"Eh? S-Seriously?" Arnold asked in disbelief, but followed the blonde girl anyhow. _This is insane. Am I really going to meet my grandparents?_

* * *

"Is this it?"

"This is it." Helga confirmed. "Sunset Arms Boardinghouse."

Arnold seized the building. Somehow, it looked like he had imagined and yet not at all. This was his dad's childhood home and he had heard so many stories about this place and its residents. He felt a little awestruck until Helga nudged at him and they walked towards the door.

"W-What do I say to them?" Arnold asked after ringing the doorbell.

"How about _hello_?" the blonde asked so monotonously that it could only be meant sarcastically.

"And after that?"

"Keep your mouth open, I'm sure something will come out. You know, like words." Helga answered before snorting. "You're hopeless. I'll do the talking."

"We're not buying anything!" a gruff voice said just before the door opened. An elderly man went quiet when he recognized Helga. "Well, if it isn't Helga! What are you doing here? Your old man giving you trouble again?"

"When does he not?" Helga joked. "But that's not why I'm here, Phil. I have someone I think you'd like to meet."

Phil looked towards Arnold whom Helga had just gestured to. The boy smiled meekly, but the elderly man just stared blankly at him. He then pulled a golden locket out of his t-shirt, which was probably white about ten years ago, and switched between looking at it and Arnold. Helga had to jump back when Phil made a roar akin to that of a bear and pulled Arnold into what looked like a hug that did his roar justice.

"Pookie! Come downstairs!" Phil shouted while holding onto Arnold with all his might.

Helga grabbed the locket around the old man's neck and looked at the picture inside. "That's you as a baby, Arnold!" she cooed and showed him the picture over Phil's shoulder though he could barely see it.

"Of course! Stella and Miles made sure we at least had one picture of our favorite grandson! I've had it in this locket ever since; I don't trust Pookie with it."

"Isn't he your _only_ grandchild?" Helga asked doubtfully.

"That just proves I'm being honest!" Phil neighed.

"You won't have _any_ grandchildren if you don't let me breathe soon!" Arnold whimpered and puffed in relief when Phil put him down.

"Whoo!" a guttural, but female voice shrieked happily before an elderly woman came sliding down the railing of the stairs.

"That woman's gonna break her neck someday." Phil said matter-of-factly.

"You called, sergeant?" Gertie asked before she noticed Arnold. She stared at him for a while before yelling and pointing at him. "The prophecy has come true!"

Arnold couldn't help but stagger back when the excited woman reached for him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside; he could barely keep up with her. "Where's she taking me?!" he asked before Gertie pulled him into the dining room.

"Where's she taking him?" Helga asked as Phil escorted her inside.

"Oh, probably somewhere appropriate for welcoming a battling hero home." Phil answered with a toothless grin. "Hey, speaking of that, where's Stella and Miles?"

"They're in San Lorenzo."

"Arnold came on his own? Well, I guess he's got more time on his hands than Stella and Miles do…" Phil muttered as he scratched his bald head in thought. Then he frowned. "Now, wait a second. Hold on… Miles didn't write anything about sending Arnold here and why do you know him to begin with? What's going on?"

"Took you long enough, you willy old coot." Helga teased. Phil huffed in an insulted manner, but said nothing. "It's actually kind of a crazy story."

At those words, Helga and Phil flinched from the sound of wood clattering from inside the dining room. Phil gave Helga a tired glance. "Your crazy is my normal."

"Point taken." Helga said with a smirk and took a deep breath. "Long story short; poachers attacked, Arnold got separated from his folks and got kidnapped. Some guy set him free from the ship, I found him here in Hillwood and he's been living with me ever since."

"Oh, is that all?" Phil asked, threw his hands up and wiggled from side to side. Helga rolled her eyes at the seething sarcasm the old man was portraying. "And when did he come to Hillwood?"

"Um… about a couple of months ago."

"And you bring him here _now_?!"

"Hey, don't blame me! Blame the airhead in there who didn't bother to tell me he even _had_ grandparents until like a half hour ago!"

Phil smacked himself squarely in the face. "He's just as dense as my son!"

"Yeah, what went wrong?" Helga mused.

"I blame Pookie!" Phil said in self-defense. As if she could hear him, Gertie's hysterical laugh echoed through the hallway.

"Seems fair." Helga stated with a crooked smirk. "Maybe we should, you know, help Arnold?"

"Why? Pookie is a nutcase, but she's not dangerous." Phil said and once again, as if the woman was psychic, loud, alarming drums could be heard. Helga quirked an eyebrow in Phil's direction who chuckled awkwardly before he followed her into the dining room. "Pookie! What are you—"

"Get me down from here!" Arnold shouted fearfully as he was balancing on a chair that was placed onto another chair in the middle of the table while Gertie was dancing around him, wearing drums hanging from her neck.

"Pookie!" Phil scolded in shock, but Helga couldn't stop laughing. "Get the poor boy down from there! He's our grandson! Not a circus athlete!"

"This is why I love being here!" Helga cackled.

"Helga!"

"Alright, alright." Helga calmed the blonde boy down and jumped onto the table. "I'll catch you."

Arnold practically jumped into Helga's arms and she caught him with ease. "Thanks…" he whispered and looked towards Gertie who was complaining now that her drums had been taken away by Phil. "Is she always like that?"

Gertie looked towards Helga and perked right up. "Eleanor, dear! How is it going at the white house?" she asked while smacking her hands together.

Arnold sent Helga a curious look and she shrugged. "Pretty much." She answered indifferently.

"I suddenly understand why it was grandpa who wrote the letters…" Arnold mused, causing Helga to chuckle.

"Arnold, Helga just told me how you got here." Phil said while holding Gertie close to him so she couldn't run off. "Do your parents have no idea where you are?"

Arnold shook his head. "No, and I can't figure out how to get back home." He said with sadness etched into his voice.

"Eduardo can just take you home with his plane." Phil said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Eduardo? You've mentioned his name before." Helga said, looking at Arnold.

"He's my parents' best friend. He's the one who travels back and forth with the letters."

"Wait! Earlier you told me you had no idea how the letters—Wait again, then he can take you back to San Lorenzo, can't he? Arnold!" Helga exclaimed and punched his arm in excitement. "You're actually going home!"

Arnold rubbed his arm while wearing a broad grin on his already wide face. "I can't believe it."

"Now, now. Hold your horses." Phil interrupted. "I need to call Eduardo and ask when he's coming by again. He's a busy guy, he travels to San Lorenzo whenever he has the time. It's hard to say when he has the time to take you home so let me go and call him."

"Still,"—Helga turned to Arnold while Phil left the room—"Arnold, you're going home! It was always this easy! Man, I feel like an idiot!"

"Don't say that." Arnold said with a small, sympathetic smile.

"You're right. _You're_ the idiot." Helga mused.

Arnold growled at her, but couldn't help but chuckle as well. It seemed so surreal; was he really going home? Just like that? The thought of seeing his parents soon filled him with joy, but it also seemed like an impossible dream. He had spent so much time in Hillwood, this odd world filled with all kinds of dangers, but also new and exciting things that he had come to love. He looked towards Helga who was grinning happily at him. He smiled back at her, but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. There was definitely still a string in his heart that she had wrapped around her finger and he couldn't bring himself to cut it if he had the opportunity. But he belonged in San Lorenzo with his parents; he knew that. He had to go home. He'd just wish it didn't feel like if he was saying goodbye to everything he had come to know and even love while he had been gone.

"Ok, I just talked to Eduardo and he said he was planning on coming Friday evening." Phil said as he walked back into the dining room.

"Th-This Friday?" Helga stuttered.

"That's… tomorrow."—Arnold shared a look with Helga—"That's… great." He said as excitedly as he could. "That's really great."

"Yeah." Helga said with a halfhearted smile.

Phil looked between the two young blondes and quirked a gray eyebrow before cracking a smile. "Hey, why don't you two eat here tonight? I want to talk some more with my grandson." He suggested.

"Sure." Arnold said, his smile turning more sincere.

"Suits me. I hate cooking." Helga said just before Gertie grabbed her hand.

"Come with me, Eleanor! You can teach me about what you highborn ladies eat at the white house!"

"Oh, come on!" Helga complained, but was pulled into the kitchen by Gertie anyhow.

Phil chuckled for a moment, but then looked seriously towards Arnold. "Something tells me you're not too happy about going home." He said as he crossed his arms suspiciously.

"W-What? No! I mean, yes! I'm happy about going home! I've wanted to go home since I got here! Hillwood is cold and the people are mean—"

"But it has Helga?" Phil interrupted.

Arnold opened his mouth to argue against him, but his argument turned into a sigh. "How did you know?"

"You're just as see-through as your old man."

"Old man?" Arnold couldn't help but repeat.

"Watch it!" Phil warned jokingly. "You and Helga clearly like each other and, frankly, it's in your genetics to fall for a girl like her."

"What do you mean?"

"The Shortman-men have always had a thing for, how do I put it"—Phil looked towards the kitchen where Gertie could be heard singing a very off-key version of _I can't get no satisfaction_ —"women who drive us crazy in every way possible."

Arnold snickered. "You're telling me that… Grandma used to drive you crazy?"

"She still does! More now than ever and I love her just the same. Miles fell in love with Stella because she's a strong independent woman who always speaks her mind. And you—"

"I've fallen in love with Helga for the same reasons." Arnold admitted bluntly. "What am I supposed to do, Grandpa?"

Phil grinned. "Never knew how nice it'd feel to be called that."—he put his arm over Arnold's shoulder—"I can't tell you that, Arnold. There's always letters though?"

"I-I know, but… it's not the same as being around them. I mean, I only just met you and grandma, but I already miss you…"

Phil gave a warm smile. "Just as sentimental as your mother."

"Really? Mom is the sentimental one?"

"Hey, you should know this from Helga; the stronger they are, the more loving." Phil said with a wide grin. "You will figure out what you want at some point, Arnold. Right now though, you have to go home so your parents can see that you're alright. What happens after that… well, you can always stay here in Sunset Arms if you want to visit."

Arnold smiled. "Really?"

"Yes! I have a room for you and everything!"

"Really?" Arnold repeated and followed Phil as he jogged upstairs. He couldn't help but grin at the fact that he had to keep up with his 88-year-old grandpa as they ran through the hallway and up a small staircase.

"I've had this place ready for whenever you'd visit." Phil said as he opened the door, revealing a big blue room filled with empty shelves, a red couch, a computer and a bed with a sort of built-in ladder in the wall behind it. "I didn't know what you'd like to have in here so I left most of it empty."

"Whoa…" Arnold said awe-struck as he looked around with his head tilted all the way back. "This is amazing! Now I feel bad for not visiting sooner."

Phil chuckled. "So you like it?"

"I love it! What's that for?" Arnold asked, pointing at the built-in ladder.

"Climb up and find out."

Arnold instantly took his grandpa's advice and jumped onto the bed. he climbed the wall, fumbled with the clasp on the skylight for a little longer than the average city person would and stuck his head out of the window. His chin dropped at the sight of the city before him. He climbed onto the roof and jogged towards the railing, staring at the golden and crimson sky.

"Helga gotta see this!" Arnold bellowed.

Phil seemed about to say something, but then shrugged. "I'll go get her." he declared, having barely gotten his head outside before heading inside again.

Arnold marveled in the beauty of the view while he waited for Helga, thinking that now it'd be even harder to leave this place. This view reminded him of the evening sky back at home even though it didn't arrive this early. He meant it when he said he wanted to go home. He missed his parents and his tribe; he missed the warm weather and the serene feeling of the jungle. But he knew he'd miss this place as well; life all around him, new experiences at every corner and most of all, the people. The people in his class, Gerald and Phoebe, his grandparents and Helga. Especially Helga. It was hard to imagine going back to San Lorenzo and pretending these last couple of months hadn't happened. Pretending Helga hadn't happened.

"Hey, Football Head!"

Arnold jerked around in shock at the sound of his name being called so suddenly. "Helga!" he called happily, wiped a stray tear from his eye away and ran towards her.

"You _do_ realize I've—"

"You have to see this view!" Arnold interrupted and helped her up.

"Not to burst your bubble, but—"

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" he said as he pulled her with him excitedly.

"Arnold!" Helga shouted and shook his hand. The boy finally stopped by the railing and looked at her. "I've been here before… Phil and Gertie always let us borrow the roof for our summer parties."

"Oh…" Arnold mumbled, chuckling and scratching his head awkwardly. "Sorry."

"Why did you get so excited about this anyway?" Helga asked curiously as she gestured to the sunset.

"I just… Never mind."

"Oh, come on"—Helga nudged her shoulder against his—"tell me."

"I guess…" Arnold whispered and looked at the sky. "I just thought this sky looks just like the one back home and I wanted to share it with you."

Helga lost her expression and stared at Arnold while he was gazing at the sky. She wasn't sure why, but her lips were itching to kiss him. Not being the kind of person to deny herself what she wanted, she stepped around him, blocking the view, and kissed him. Arnold made a small and muffled sound of surprise, but kissed her back, something he had been much more confident about lately.

Helga let go of Arnold and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling him closer to her. The blonde boy put his hands on her hips before collecting enough courage to wrap his arms around her. The winter air was cold, but Helga's presence kept him warm. He glided his hands up her back and pressed her body closer to his, doing his best to shut off his other senses off so he could feel her completely. He'd felt more and more curious about how her skin would feel against his palms, how her scent would taste on his tongue and mostly if he could make her feel what he had felt.

Helga stopped the kiss, too soon in Arnold's opinion, and smiled at him. "You've gotten much more hands-on lately." She observed breathlessly. The boy gave her a small smile before kissing her again. She made a small moan, but then pulled back and put two fingers gently on his lips. "And way too eager… Your grandparents are waiting downstairs for us."

Arnold sighed and looked at the sunset again. "Sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize." Helga said in confusion and poked at his cheek. "What's wrong? What are you thinking?"

Arnold bit on his lip for a moment. "I'm going home…"

" _That's_ what's wrong?" Helga asked in shock.

"No! I mean, yes, but not like that!" Arnold answered in panic and sighed shamefully. He leaned over the railing, hiding his face from Helga even though he could feel her arm over his back, encouraging him to talk to her. "It's just… I really like being here. It's cold, but I like the snow. It's noisy, but I like there's so much life here… and then there's—"

"Your grandparents?"

"And you." Arnold added and looked up at her.

Helga held her breath. "Arnold, I'm… I'm really happy that… that you think that… a-and I feel the same way, but you can't throw your life away for me." she said and squeezed his shoulder.

"I'm not saying I would do that!" Arnold insisted. "I _want_ to go home… I want to see my parents against and the green-eyed people… I want to feel the warm wind of the jungle and swim in the water waterfall and… and just be _home_ … but—"

"But you also want to be here?" Helga finished. Arnold sighed once more and Helga couldn't help but chuckle. "Arnold, I have to ask you something… What would you do here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… what would you _do_ here? Hillwood is nothing like San Lorenzo and you've only been here for less than two months. Do you have any idea what you'd do if you actually moved here? I mean, I guess you'd have to start going to school, but since you haven't been here from the beginning, they'd might force you to take the classes from way back to pre-k. After that there's college and job hunting… you don't even know what kind of jobs are out there and, Arnold, in this world you _need_ a job."

"For money, right?"

"Yep."

Arnold looked away awkwardly. "Actually… I think school is kinda fun." He admitted and Helga gave him a pointed look. "Yeah, I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I like learning! And… I don't know, being a teacher seems kind of… cool."

"A teacher?" Helga asked with a crooked grin.

Arnold nodded. "I don't know, I just think it sounds fun to teach."

"You're a rarity, Arnold." Helga said and leaned over the railing. "Mr. Shortman, eh? Gotta admit, it has a nice ring to it… What would you teach?"

"Geography, maybe?"

Helga chortled loudly. "Sorry, it's just ironic…"

"Or maybe biology." Arnold corrected. "Yeah, biology seems more right."

"Suits you more at least." Helga said and tilted her head to the side. "You'd be a great teacher."

"You think?" Arnold asked happily and Helga nodded. "Thanks… I guess it's just not gonna happen."

Helga frowned. "You know… Arnold, your parents sound like great people… and being the son of Phil and Gertie, I'm _sure_ that Miles at least is great… and they'd love you, no matter what you do. I'm not saying you should move here to Hillwood and definitely not for my sake… but if you go back and you realize the idea of teaching is pulling you more than the idea of doing what your parents are doing, they'd accept it, I'm sure."

Arnold took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I… I think they would too… It just sounds so crazy. I never once considered doing anything else besides staying in San Lorenzo for the rest of my life, but now… now I don't know what I want to do."

"Welcome to the life of the average teen." Helga joked and threw her arms out dramatically.

"This life sucks." Arnold joked back and chuckled with Helga. "It was so much easier when I didn't have a choice… That sounds so sad."

"Naw, it's understandable. Too many choices and opportunities puts a lot of stress in you, but it's a luxury problem." Helga said thoughtfully, but then her expression saddened.

"What's that face?" Arnold asked worriedly.

"What face?"

" _That_ face." Arnold specified as he pointed at her.

"What do you mean? It's my face." Helga said defensively, but she sighed at the view of Arnold's pointed look. "I just… I mean… as long as we're being all gooey and honest… I'm a little… jealous of you, Arnold."

Green eyes widened. "Jealous…? Of me? W-Why?"

"It's just… your parents sound great, your grandparents are unbelievably awesome and… I don't know, I guess part of me wishes that… I could say the same about my family." Helga admitted and looked away. "I mean, I've never doubted that I'd be just fine without my family and I don't really _need_ them… but… it would be nice not to have to spend Christmas alone."

"Helga…"

" _No_ pity talk, Arnold."

"No, no… I just… You know, I was really angry at your dad Christmas eve, but… I honestly think he wants you in his life, and Miriam and Olga too."

"You gotta be kidding me."

"No! I mean… I know you've said that some people just don't change and I definitely think he has a lot to make up for… but I really think he was trying. He's got a temper, but… Helga, so do you. People love you anyway. Doesn't Bob have any good sides to him?"

Helga thought about it for a moment. "Well… he _did_ try to apologize to me once when I was a child by buying me tickets for a show he thought I wanted to see."

"See?"

"Too bad he bought tickets for _Rats_ and not _Slam Jam V_." Helga added crudely.

"But he thought he was doing a good thing, right?"

"Yeah… and we did laugh our asses off at how bad it was… Oh, and Miriam and I actually had a lot of fun when she started working in Bob's place."

"So you've had good times with her as well."

"Until she became even more of a workaholic than my dad." Helga corrected. "Then again… she _did_ give up on the job, even though she loved it, to be my mom instead…"

"And Olga?"

"She's…"—Helga frowned—"Well, she's always annoyed the fuck outta me, but I did get jealous when she and Lila started bonding."

"Why would they—"

"Long story, bucko." Helga interrupted. "Point is… if I have to dig down then yes, I do care about my family, but it's never going to be good between us. We'll always drive each other crazy and hurt each other so it's easier to just, you know… give up."

"That's so sad…"

"Welcome to the big city." Helga said as she threw out her arms and jutted out her hip. After a chuckle, she grabbed his hand. "Now, come on. Dinner was already on the way to the table when I went up here so I'm guessing they're just waiting for us downstairs. You also need to meet all the other boarders."

"Right!" Arnold said excitedly, but he kept hearing that nagging voice in the back of his head. It was telling him he couldn't leave like this; he needed to do one last thing for Helga. He had no idea how to go about it, but he had to try.

* * *

"You seem a little… overwhelmed." Helga said with her face cracking up at the sight of Arnold with his eyes widened and an empty expression.

"They're… energetic." Arnold said as he waved one last time at the boarders walking up the stairs.

The blonde girl snorted. "Sure, let's call it that. You have a big, eccentric boarding house family. This is what you'd have to live with if you stayed here."

"It wouldn't be that bad." He said with a crooked grin before going back into the living room, leaving Helga alone in the hallway.

The blonde shook her head and put on her shoes. _I guess this is it…_ she thought as she stood up and grabbed her coat. _Well, I guess I'll at least get to say goodbye to him before Eduardo takes him back home_.

"Goodnight, grandpa and grandma! I will see you soon!" Arnold yelled as he came back in the hallway. Helga stared at him as he sat down and started putting on his shoes. Her hands, which had been in the middle of zipping up her coat, were frozen in place. Arnold stood up and grabbed his own jacket before noticing Helga's eyes on him. "What?"

"Aren't you… going to stay here?"

Arnold blinked. "Why are you asking that?" he asked before zipping her coat up for her.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you finally meet your grandparents for the first time in your life, they have a room ready for you and everything and you've only got like tonight and tomorrow to get to know them."

"That's why I'm coming back tomorrow."

"Sure, but—"

"Do you… want me to stay here?" Arnold asked and the feeling of hurt was apparent in his voice.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean…" Helga said awkwardly and then shook her head. She took a deep, but quick breath to collect her thoughts. "I just assumed you'd rather stay here… with your family."

"Sure, I'd like to stay here, but… I also want to go back home with you."

 _Home_ , Helga thought and felt her face flush.

"But if you want me to stay—"

"No." the girl interrupted, waving her hands around before scratching her head awkwardly. "It's not that I don't want you to come back with me… I _do_ , I just… feel bad for your grandparents. I feel like you're choosing me over them and… they've wanted to meet you ever since you were born."

Arnold got a guilty look on his face. Truth be told, he had considered staying. He wanted to stay, but it had just felt so natural to follow Helga. She had a point though; he had spent so much time with her already, but only just met his grandparents. He felt incredibly selfish for not staying. Now, he didn't know what to do.

"If I may interrupt,"—Gertie appeared in the doorway, wearing a wide grin—"Eleanor, if the white house is inefficient, you are always welcome to stay here."

Arnold's eyes widened with hope and he looked back at Helga. "She's right; you could stay here with me."

"I-I don't know—"

"Pish posh!" Gertie said, waving her hand. "It wouldn't be right to separate Romeo from his Juliet."

"What?!" Helga practically screamed, her face going tomato-red.

"Even though I do wonder what the first man would have to say to that!" Gertie snorted and laughed manically while she disappeared, her laughter fading with her.

"Th-That woman will be the death of me…" Helga mumbled shyly.

"Who's Romeo and Juliet?"

"No one!" Helga bellowed before throwing her coat off, kicking off her shoes and walking up the stairs.

"No fair!" Arnold yelled after her, copied her actions – albeit more gracefully – and followed her. "Why did grandma just call us Romeo and Juliet? What does the mean? Why are you so embarrassed?"

Helga stopped at one of the steps and turned around, holding onto the railing like a lifeline. "Want me to stay here or answer that?" she asked while her face stayed pinkish.

"S-Stay here."

"Good." Helga said and turned back around.

"B-But why can't I get both?" Arnold asked just before Helga turned around yet again and kissed him. He gasped in surprise, but did of course nothing to stop it. She then pulled away slowly and waited for him to open his eyes.

"You can't always get both." She said with a smirk on her face, took his hand and led him up the stairs.

 _Don't I know it…_ Arnold thought as he followed Helga into his bedroom.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: Yes, I had Phil have a golden locket with a picture of Arnold in it because I thought it'd make sense to give a reference to the episode "Helga's locket" with the circumstances in this story. Also, Arnold wouldn't have been there to tell him no like in the episode xD**

 **I always think it's super hard to write Phil and Gertie… they have such unique personalities and I always wonder if I'm not capturing them properly – am I making them too crazy or not crazy enough? xD**


	13. Light sockets in the jungle

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **During an intense game of thumb war, Helga found out that Arnold's grandparents were in fact people she knew personally. People who had been living in Hillwood all the time while Arnold had been there. She immediately took him to Sunset Arms where he meet his grandparents for the first time and finally got the chance to figure out a way to get him back home to San Lorenzo.**_

 _ **When the blondes were told that Eduardo could come and pick Arnold up the very next day to take him back to the jungle, mixed feelings coursed through them both. Phil confronted Arnold about his feelings towards Helga and told him that he was indeed a Shortman for falling for a girl like Helga.**_

 _ **Arnold admitted to Helga that while he was excited to get home, he would miss Hillwood, his grandparents, classmates and her. After confessing that he thought being a teacher might be cool, she admitted that she actually wouldn't mind having a closer relationship with her family. Many discoveries were made that day and Phil offered Helga to stay with them through the night.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: Oh, man, oh, man, did it feel** _ **good**_ **to write again… Let's just say that 2016 hasn't been my year so far. Not only did I enter it with a fever, a week in it I experienced my very first gallstone attack, missed an exam and had** _ **three**_ **gallstone attacks again through an entire month. It's absolute torture and so excruciatingly painful, I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. I've been told it's worse than giving birth… Arnold moment: "Now I'm at least not afraid of giving birth!" xD**

 **So, yeah, that's the biggest reason why I haven't been writing, I've been bedridden for such a long time and have been seeing doctors, gotten pissed at doctors for refusing to perform surgery on me, gotten happy with doctors for telling me that the former doctors were idiots and offered me surgery. Right now, I'm just going to lose some weight before the surgery because an operation is always less risky the thinner the patient is :P That's a given, I mean, imagine cutting through a thick piece of meat opposite of a thing piece of meat, which is easier? xD So, yeah, things are finally looking up!**

 **IMPORTANT! I changed something in the former chapter, but it's a minor detail: Instead of Eduardo coming five days from when Arnold and Helga found out, he was going to come the day after. This is for the sake of the twist I decided upon by the end of this chapter! I have changed my mind about a few things so please read the second author's note if you want an explanation :P**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 13: "Light sockets in the jungle"

"It's a good thing Phil has shopped for you over the years, Football Head." Helga said as she readjusted the collar on the nightshirt Phil had given her.

Helga had gone to the bathroom to change while Arnold got dressed in the room. She was surprised at how comfortable it felt. It was almost like her own nightshirt back home, but a bit bigger, more poofy even, and it wasn't white, but light blue. Blue wasn't really her color, but Phil must have known that Arnold's favorite color was blue and only bought him blue clothes.

"You know, if this wasn't baby blue, I might have stolen it from you. Just kidding."

When Helga entered the room, Arnold was looking at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a poofy, blue pajamas. "This feels weird… comfy, but weird." He observed and turned around to face Helga. He smiled. "It suits you more."

"I'm also only wearing this shirt and not the pants as well." Helga pointed with a smirk. "Good luck sleeping with those on, you're used to boxers only… Speaking of sleeping, where do we do that?"

"Uh… I thought we'd share the bed?" Arnold asked innocently.

Helga couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. "Just like that?" she asked, wondering if Arnold legitimately had no mischievous thoughts inside his head.

"We've slept next to each other every night, haven't we?"

 _Guess he's serious_ , Helga thought and walked towards the bed. "True,"—she hopped onto the mattress—"but we don't sleep on the same bed or this close. And mine is twin-sized and this is not."

"I can sleep on the couch if—"

"No, no. I don't mind."

"Then why—"

"You just reminded me that you _still_ don't think like a teenager." Helga stated, lied down and stretched. She arched her body, resembling a feline scratching its back on the ground, and the shirt stretched across her chest. "But by all means… let's see how long it'll take you to realize."

 _Realize what?_ Arnold wondered before he turned off the lights.

The stars and the moon shone brightly through the skylight, illuminating a path for Arnold to walk to the bed. Helga quickly scooted to the edge of the bed, having noticed Arnold's habit of snuggling against her bed's legs at home. He clearly preferred an enclosed space when sleeping so she figured he'd prefer the wall. He smiled as he crawled over her and plumbed down on the mattress. With a smirk, Helga turned her back to Arnold, not bothering to pull the covers over her first. Arnold grabbed the duvet, fully intending to cover them both up, but froze. Despite the fluffiness of the shirt, it fell snugly against her form and her long legs sprawled over the sheets.

 _Oh,_ Arnold thought as he covered the girl up. _That's what she meant_.

Arnold lied down, readjusted his pillow and tried to think of anything else besides his current situation. He never thought just a few feet of distance could make such a big difference. She was literally right there and she was going to be right there when he woke up. It was an oddly fluttery feeling to know that. Her hair was sprawled on the pillow and it tickled his face. He couldn't help but reach out and touch it; it just looked so invitingly soft.

Helga gave a small shiver of surprise, but sighed in content as he played with her locks. "You've always liked my hair, haven't you?"

"It's just so soft!" Arnold said with childish glee.

Helga giggled. "You don't have conditioner in the jungle so that's a given that mine's softer in comparison." She stated as she moved back a little bit to get closer to Arnold. "It feels good when you do that."

"Yeah?" Arnold asked and Helga hummed in verification.

The boy wasn't sure why, but that knowledge stirred something inside him. His fingers got more eager as he played with the locks of her hair and she gave an appreciative purr. The sound sent a jolt through him and he kept combing through her hair, marveling in its beauty and smoothness. He could feel his throat gulping and his breath turned a little harsher. Somehow, he could feel his entire body reacting to such a simple thing and he didn't know how to feel about that. Suddenly, the memory of Helga on her knees in front of him sprung to the front of his mind and he pulled his hand away from her in embarrassment.

Helga looked at Arnold over her shoulder, shooting him a confused glance. "Did I burn you or something?" she asked jokingly, but her face was serious.

Arnold looked away, feeling his cheeks flare up since the memory refused to get out of his mind. "N-No. I just…" he insisted, but realized he didn't know what to say. "Never mind."

Helga quirked an eyebrow and turned away from him again. She considered his odd behavior though. She could only think of one thing that'd make him pull away like that so suddenly and she smirked at the thought. She moved back a little bit until she could feel the fabric of his pants against her legs and, more importantly, the tent he was pitching behind her. Even if she hadn't been able to feel it, the way he gasped busted him.

"Helga—"

"Dirty boy… that really got you off?" Helga couldn't help but tease and moved her hips a little bit.

Arnold held back a groan. "S—Sorry…"

"What are you apologizing for?" Helga asked sarcastically. "Come on, continue…"

"Eh?" Arnold muttered in slight surprise and looked up, but saw nothing else but the back of Helga's head. Somehow, it both bugged and comforted him that they couldn't see each other's expressions. _Continue…?_

Helga giggled when she felt a tentative hand in her hair. "Silly!" she teased. "That's not really where you want to touch, is it?"

Arnold's hand flinched in the blonde hair. Truth to be told, he wasn't sure exactly where he wanted to touch; only that he wanted it to be bare skin. She was obviously waiting for him to make his next move, rather than guiding him, so he moved his hand forward and touched her cheek. She sighed in content and he moved his hand down to her neck, feeling her pulse against his fingertips. He followed the muscles on her arms until he reached her hand. He tangled his fingers with hers and inhaled the scent of her hair; it was intoxicating.

Helga moved back a little bit more until their legs were perfectly parallel with each other. Arnold gulped again, but rather than shying away, he let his hips buck against her instinctually. The blonde girl gave a small moan in satisfaction and twisted her hips against his as well.

"G—Grab my hips." Helga ordered gently.

Arnold would have sighed in relief from getting instructions, if his breath had been less ragged. He did as told and gasped when Helga almost instantly started moving her hips in a fluid motion. He held her tighter by her hips and eventually slithered his arm around her waist to embrace her tightly. He moved with her, awkwardly, but almost in perfect sync nevertheless. Helga started holding onto his arm as they grinded against each other, but eventually lost her patience.

"C—Come on, Arnold… I know you've been looking at them… You know what to do next, right?" Helga panted as she moved their hands up towards her chest.

Arnold wouldn't deny his curiosity there; he knew women had breasts and what their purpose was, his mother had told him and he had seen the Green-Eyed women nursing their children, but never quite understood why he felt drawn towards Helga's. Now he knew it wasn't unusual, given that Helga had been very aware of his glances and knew exactly what he had been thinking while ogling her.

Helga let go of Arnold's hand, giving him a chance to take some control himself. His hand ghosted over her breast, almost torturously gently. He marveled at the curvy flesh before pressing his hand against it. It was soft, he noticed in the back of his mind, before finally grabbing it and moved his fingers around it. Helga couldn't nor wanted to hold her voice back at this point; she gave a shaky moan, telling Arnold that what he was doing felt good. Her voice spurred him on and he handled her breast a little more harshly. Helga's hand went back to his thigh, clutching his pants whenever he moved his hand.

The new sensation overpowered the inexperienced boy and his hand surged inside Helga's shirt. She gasped loudly, the sudden bold action surprising her, but she clutched at his pants in absolute pleasure. Arnold's fingers quickly came in contact with the hardened nub and he touched it experimentally. The sound escaping its owner's lips told him it was even more sensitive than the rest of her breast and he played with it gently. Helga wasn't unclutching Arnold's pants anymore, but held onto them tightly, refusing to let go.

"T—Take my shirt off." Helga ordered gently and let go of Arnold's leg.

Arnold wanted to answer, but realized his mouth was useless for anything else besides breathing. He started unbuttoning her shirt eagerly, but Helga's own eagerness caused her to help him anyway. Once it was opened, Arnold slid the sleeves down her arms and she threw it away somewhere on the floor. She grabbed at his legs again, expecting him to continue touching her, but she felt him fumble behind her instead. When she looked at him over her shoulder, she realized that he was unbuttoning his own shirt as well. She couldn't help but smirk.

"Want to feel my skin again yours?" she asked mockingly, knowing the answer already.

Helga turned around in the bed when she decided that Arnold was incapable of responding anyway. She opened the lowest of his buttons, but quickly changed her mind and put her hand on his cheek instead and started kissing him hungrily. The sounds Arnold was making made her feel like some kind of love goddess. As soon as his shirt was opened, he forgot about taking it off and simply pulled her closer until their stomachs touched. Helga took over though and got his shirt off after a bit of trouble and threw it away unceremoniously. She pulled him closer to her and put her leg over his hip.

Arnold's hands roamed around Helga's back and her breasts, his mouth kissing whatever spot he could find. He wanted something, _needed_ something and he was starting to get a much clearer idea what it was. Something in his mind was bugging him though, something Gerald had mentioned a long time ago.

"Helga…" Arnold forced himself to say despite feeling completely breathless. "There's something I still don't understand."

"You're really gonna play 20 questions now?" Helga asked in disbelief and started kissing him around his throat and shoulders.

Arnold almost got caught up in the wonderful feeling of her lips on him, but he decided that he had to know. "Gerald said… sex and… babies are connected… I—I don't get how?"

Helga froze mid-kiss and leaned back to stare at Arnold in absolute horror. They were quiet, for what felt like forever to Arnold, before Helga made a loud groan of pain and rolled away from him.

"D—Did I say something wrong?" Arnold asked worriedly, almost feeling cold from the lack of her presence.

"No… No… Actually, it's good that you asked. I… I must have lost my mind there for a second…" Helga admitted while staring at the stars above them through the skylight. "Holy shit…"

Arnold moved closer to Helga, but she still didn't look at him. "Why… did we stop?"

Helga finally looked at Arnold with a smile; the same kind of patient smile one would show a child. "Because—"she caressed his cheek—"if we continue this, I might get pregnant."

Arnold's eyes widened. He figured he should have been able to figure that out on his own, but he hadn't. Not until it was confirmed at least. Whatever continuing meant, whatever sex was, it made babies. He didn't like that. Well, not in this situation he didn't. He was supposed to leave to go back to San Lorenzo in a few days and if Helga were to have a baby while he was gone, he would only miss her more and constantly wonder about the child. Though, he had to admit that the thought of a child with Helga under different circumstances didn't seem unappealing.

"So…" Arnold started gently. "We can't do this?"

Helga made a low chuckle and shook her head. "I don't have a condom on me, you know… That's something you can use to avoid pregnancies, but it's not really something I carry around randomly."

"A condom…?" Arnold repeated the strange word curiously. "Can we make one?"

Helga snorted. "It wouldn't be very effective if we tried, Football Head." she replied and played with a tuff of his hair. Arnold groaned like a disappointed child and let his cheek rest on Helga's breast. She chuckled at his reaction, finding it oddly adorable and continued to play with his hair soothingly. "I'm sorry that I can't give you more of a fun last memory."

Arnold flinched at those words. "Don't call it _last_ , please… I don't want to think about never seeing you again."

"Sorry… but you need to get used to the thought." Helga said somewhat coldly, but Arnold could hear the stutter in her voice. He knew she didn't want to say goodbye either, but they knew there was no other way.

"You could come with me, you know…" Arnold said somberly, but then grinned and looked at her. "When you're done with school."

Helga looked at Arnold seriously. "And what would I do there, Arnold?"

Arnold kept his smile on even though he could feel it faltering. "Be with me?"

Helga smirked. "That does sound nice."

"Right?"

"But I have dreams of my own, Arnold…" Helga explained even though she had a feeling that Arnold wasn't 100% serious in his proposal to begin with. She had a feeling that her telling him this was unnecessary, but she had to say it just in case. "And a jungle just doesn't fit into those dreams."

"I know." Arnold said, his grin turning into a sad smile. "I want your dreams to come true too… You're going to be amazing at whatever you choose to do, Helga. I know that… I'm just gonna miss you."

Helga could feel that old voice inside her head screaming that she couldn't take this mushy, sad conversation they had somehow gotten themselves into, but for the first time in her life, she ignored it. "I'm gonna miss you too." she confessed instead, hating the sob she could hear in her voice.

Arnold couldn't take it anymore after hearing Helga tell him that. "I'm gonna miss you so much!" he said with a raspy voice and buried himself deep into her chest. She accepted his hug and help him as close to her as she could.

* * *

The next morning, it was safe to say that the blonde teenagers looked like hell. Neither of them had slept very well for several reasons and it was obvious to the other boarders. Some tried to pry, others were joking and the rest stayed quiet. The ones staying quiet were the ones to realize how sad the blondes truly were. Arnold and Helga went for Arnold's last day at school. After getting there, Helga told their classmates that Arnold had to go back to San Lorenzo much earlier than they had anticipated. Only Gerald and Phoebe got to know the full story behind Arnold's sudden return.

The day was spent saying goodbye to Arnold, celebrating his time together with the class and for people to give him their address so he could write to them. Arnold felt guilty towards Eduardo for promising to write to them all, but he didn't truly want to say goodbye to any of his classmates. Helga was very quiet throughout most of the day and that wasn't lost on Arnold. It gave him time to think about what Helga had confessed to him the day before though; about how she truly wanted a better relationship with her family. He felt that he couldn't just leave it like that; not after everything she had done for him. He needed to do something, but he just didn't have enough time to go and talk to her family. So he decided upon the second best option.

"Are you sure about this?' Phoebe asked with a small voice as she accepted the letter Arnold had just offered her.

"Yes. Helga said it herself; she'd wish it was different and this is all I can do for her."

Phoebe smiled at Arnold. "I wish I had thought of doing something similar myself… though I guess it wouldn't have meant as much coming from me as it will from you."

"You think so?"

"Helga's family knows me, Arnold. They believe Helga has clouded my mind with her odd behavior." Phoebe explained and rolled her eyes behind her glasses. "But you, you're just a stranger to them. Hearing this from someone who hasn't know Helga for very long might just be the incentive they need."

"I hope you're right…" Arnold said with a sigh. He watched as Phoebe put the letter in her bag. After saying goodbye, she headed towards Helga's home unbeknownst to the blonde girl.

Arnold and Helga weren't exactly light on their feet on the way home to Sunset Arms. They knew that in a few hours, Eduardo would come with his helicopter to take Arnold home. He would truly have to say goodbye to Hillwood, his grandparents and Helga. He could feel his heart clenching as if something was clutching it. It was uncomfortable, excruciating really. Just when he decided that he couldn't stay silent anymore, Helga spoke as well. The two blondes looked at each other and started laughing.

"Y—You first."

"No way. You go first."

"Ok…" Arnold decided and leaned against the door into Sunset Arms. He looked at Helga, watching her as she stood there, waiting for him to say something he didn't know what would be. "I… I, um… Helga, being her has been really… really great and… I'll never forget this place… or you."

Helga looked away uncomfortably. "I thought we had done the mushy conversation already." She insisted, her lips turning into two thin lips. "But I guess I wanted to say something similar."

Arnold could feel his heart clench again. "Helga, I love—"

Arnold's sentence was cut short by a loud noise he didn't recognize. He looked upwards and saw something that mostly looked like a huge, black bird in the sky.

"I guess that's Eduardo!" Helga shouted over the racket.

"Already?!" Arnold said in shock and grabbed onto his clothes to stop them from flying around. Once the helicopter had settled on the rooftop, he and Helga ran inside and were met with Phil and Gertie. "Is that Eduardo?"

"Yes, he sure is here early!" Phil complained. "I hate that! It's just as rude as being late!"

"Agreed." Helga said sullenly and looked at Arnold who looked back at her.

Neither of them were particularly happy about this outcome; a few hours had been changed to a few minutes. They didn't want to go upstairs and meet him, but they followed Phil and Gertie anyway. Eduardo was just getting out of the helicopter, its propellers finally settling down.

"Is this legal?" Helga asked as she looked the massive machine over.

"If it isn't, we haven't had any complains." Phil explained and waved at some neighbors who were shouting at them to keep quiet.

"Yeah, I see that." Helga said with one eyebrow arched.

"Arnold!" Eduardo called, the grin on his face unmistakable as he pulled the boy into a hug. "Your parents must be worried sick! I wish I would have had the time to go and see them earlier so they could have told me about you disappearing. Maybe we could have found you earlier then."

"Doubt it." Helga interfered. "Since Arnold _just_ realized yesterday that his grandparents lived in this city."

Eduardo looked at Arnold in disbelief and then up at Phil. "I blame Miles."

"Join the club." Phil neighed jokingly.

Arnold couldn't help but frown at the exchange, but he was happy to see Eduardo again. He didn't see him all that often except for when he was coming to pick up their letters, but even then it wasn't certain if he was at the village to greet him. Eduardo was his parents' best friend though and their only connection to the civilized world so he did care a lot about him. Even if he had shown up much earlier than Arnold would have preferred.

"We should probably leave as soon as possible; it will take us most of the night to get to San Lorenzo and then there's the hike to the village." Eduardo pointed out.

Arnold touched the amulet, clutching it in his hand. He couldn't help but look at Helga who was clutching the necklace he had given her. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't find the words. He opened his mouth, but felt a pair of arms around him before he could speak.

"Come visit us again soon, Arnold." Phil said lovingly as he patted his grandson's back.

Arnold sighed and wrapped his arms around his grandpa. "I will." He promised and tightened his grip for a moment before the arms were replaced with someone else's. "Take care of grandpa, ok?"

"Oh, I always do, Kimba." Gertie said casually.

"Define _taking care of_!" Phil interfered, but Gertie just laughed evilly.

Arnold chuckled at the exchange, but it faded quickly when he looked at Helga. She was biting on the inside of her mouth, trying to keep her focus on the physical pain rather than the emotional one. She hated this more than she thought she would. The thought of not seeing Arnold again did something to her heart and it made her sick to her stomach. This was why she didn't let anyone in, why she decided such a long time ago that only few would have the privilege of her feeling pain when they left. Phoebe had been the only with that privilege for as long as she could remember and Phoebe never went anywhere - except for the occasional trip to Japan - so Helga didn't know how to deal with this feeling.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Phil bellowed impatiently.

Helga felt a pair of hands push at her back and she stumbled into Arnold's arms. He caught her instinctively and she almost pushed him away, embarrassed to be seen during an affectionate moment, but she didn't have it in her to let go. She let her forehead stay hidden in the crook of Arnold's neck, willing her shoulders to stop shaking. The feeling of his arms around her as he held her tightly helped settle her nerves, but it was upsetting to know that he would let go of her soon. So she let go herself.

Helga gave Arnold a weak smile as she pulled away. Something caught her necklace though and she looked down to see that her chain had gotten tangled with Arnold's amulet. The blondes looked at each other and chuckled awkwardly. She put her hands on the necklaces and disentangled them with little trouble.

"Say hello to your parents from me, you hear? Even though they probably won't care." Helga said clumsily.

"They will care." Arnold insisted. "You saved me."

"Hardly,"—Helga rolled her eyes—"you would have figured it out on your own."

"Helga," Phil interrupted and put a hand on her shoulder. "he didn't even realize he was in the same city as his grandparents."

Helga blinked. "You're right; you would have been dead without me." she said to Arnold in a much more lighthearted voice than before.

Arnold laughed as heartily as he could, but he couldn't help but squeeze the hand she was using to touch his amulet. He held her hand up to his mouth and kissed it while clenching his eyes painfully. He wanted to kiss her properly, but he wasn't sure how she'd feel about that right in front of his grandparents and Eduardo. He could hear her make a shaky laugh and when he looked up, her lips ghosted over his for a short moment. She kissed the corner of his mouth more properly, but then took a step back.

"Safe trip, Arnold." Helga said and moved her arms up hug herself.

Arnold nodded at her before he finally turned his back to her and followed Eduardo towards the helicopter. His heart was still pulling him in two different directions and when he finally reached the helicopter and Eduardo was holding the door to let him in, he hesitated. Helga stood perfectly still 15 feet behind him and she noticed Arnold's hesitation. She almost shouted at him to get it over with already, but then he turned around to look at her.

"Come with me, Helga!"

Helga's eyes widened for a moment, but then she sighed. "Arnold, we talked about this!"

"I—I don't mean forever!" Arnold insisted and walked away from the helicopter, leaving a dumbfounded Eduardo. "Just for a little while!"

"Arnold—"

"Helga, I want to show you my world so much."

"I want to see it too, but I can't just leave!"

"I'm going to stay there for a bit." Eduardo interrupted and the blondes looked at him. He leaned against the helicopter casually. "I'll leave Sunday afternoon or something like that. You can be home before school Monday morning if that's what you're worried about."

Arnold quirked a curious eyebrow; Eduardo never stayed the night at San Lorenzo. He figured he was doing it to help him and he would be forever grateful for that. He turned to look at Helga hopefully. She looked back at him, observing his expectant face. She couldn't help but hesitate; it was more spontaneous for her liking. She didn't have time to pack, explain to anyone or do anything you usually would before a trip.

"It's only for one night, Helga!" Phil insisted with his toothless grin.

"The white house can do without you for that long, Eleanor!" Gertie insisted.

Helga looked between the people around her and then pointed at them all. "Are you in cahoots or something?"

Arnold couldn't help but grin, he could see that Helga was slowly giving in. "What do you say, Helga? _One_ night in San Lorenzo?"

"An entire day and night in a jungle with mosquitos and predators in 80 degrees… yeah, sounds like fun!" Helga said sarcastically, but a grin was spreading on her face. "Oh, what the hell. No one will miss me for _one_ weekend."

Arnold couldn't help but bounce happily. He grabbed her hand and led her to the helicopter while Phil and Gertie were clapping excitedly. Arnold couldn't help but notice that his steps were million times lighter now that Helga was joining him. It was barely two days more with her company whereas most of this night would be spent in the helicopter, but even a second more would have been worth it. They were about to board the helicopter, when Helga suddenly stopped walking.

"Wait!"

Arnold looked at her fearfully. "You haven't changed your mind, right?"

"No!" Helga said laughingly and caressed his cheek for a moment, trying to soothe him. "I just, um… Eduardo, can I go and get something first?"

"What would you possibly get for a trip to the jungle?" Eduardo asked impatiently. "They don't have light sockets in the jungle."

"Do I seriously come off as the kind of girl who'd torture my hair with a flat iron?" Helga asked sarcastically and shook her head. "No, it's just, uh… N—Now that we have a second chance, I think, I, um… Arnold would want me to go and get it too."

Arnold looked at Helga's finger which was pointing at him. "What do you mean?"

"Just trust me." Helga whispered and looked at Eduardo again. "It'll take like five minutes, tops."

Eduardo sighed and waved his hand at her, signaling she could go and get whatever it was she wanted. Helga let go of Arnold's hand and ran at the speed of light. She quickly disappeared over the railing and down the fire escape to the amusement of the people watching her. Phil asked Arnold what it was she wanted to get, but Arnold told him he wasn't sure. Truth be told though, he did have a smidgen of an idea of what she was going to get. When Helga came back, she didn't have anything new on her, nothing that could be seen anyway. When she was asked if she had gotten what she wanted, she simply nodded and gave her phone to Phil for keepsake after texting Phoebe to tell her about the new development.

The two blondes waved excitedly at Phil and Gertie on the ground who waved back at them with as much fervor. "I can't believe you talked me into this…" Helga said in disbelief and leaned back once Phil and Gertie were out of sight. "I'm going to the fucking jungle. _Me_!"

"You'll love it." Arnold insisted and took her hands.

Helga snorted. "I've always hated hiking and I hate when it's too hot…" she complained, but then sighed and gave a smile. "But I guess I am a little curious about what it's like to live in San Lorenzo. Also, I kinda wanna meet your parents."

Arnold smiled giddily, amazed by how easily Helga could change the way he felt. A mere moment ago, he had felt as if he was saying goodbye to one of the most amazing people he had ever met and now, he felt like he was at the top of the world. He knew it wouldn't last, but he decided to look at the bright side and enjoy the present instead of fear the future. It didn't take long before night consumed the sky and the blondes eventually fell asleep.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: So! Just to make things clear; my initial idea had been to have Arnold and Helga make love for him to leave and then epilogue chapter right after this one, meaning there'd be a total of 14 chapters in this story. Instead, I have Helga join Arnold in San Lorenzo for a chapter and then chapter 15 will be the epilogue instead. I've been debating whether to make this change or not or if it would make sense, but I think that in the long run, I would really like to give Arnold the chance to show Helga his world as well.**

 **Another reason for this change is that I have always had Helga be on birth control in the past in order to skip the whole annoying condom thing, but I figured it was time that she wasn't on pills. At least this time around x'D**


	14. Carved into their memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After Phil and Gertie offered Helga to stay at Sunset Arms with Arnold for his last day in Hillwood, Helga was slightly surprised to have expect them to sleep in the same bed. Arnold quickly understood why she had reacted the way she had when he realized how much a few feet truly meant when it was about how close you were to the person you were in love with. A passionate moment was ruined though when reality came crashing down on Helga and she had to admit that she might get pregnant without a condom and they therefore couldn't continue.**_

 _ **After giving his goodbyes to Helga's classmates, Arnold gave Phoebe a letter addressed to Helga's parents, hoping it would soothe the relationship with their youngest daughter.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: Enjoy! Cx**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 14: "Carved into their memories"

"We're there, kids!"

"Criminy!" Helga bellowed in surprise, still half-asleep. She could feel hair tickling her face and she scratched her skin before readjusting herself in the tiny seat. She clapped Arnold's head gently. "Wake up, Football Head. We're here."

Arnold mumbled something before he looked outside the window. "We're here!" he cried out happily and leaned over Helga to look through the window.

"Yeah, that's what I just said. Move!" Helga complained and pushed the boy away. "Oh, man! I feel like I was hit by a truck… or a helicopter in this case. Please tell me sleeping is more comfortable in the Green Eyes' village?"

"It is."

"Sure, complain about sleeping poorly while I didn't sleep at all." Eduardo said grumpily before he yawned.

The blondes chuckled, apologized and looked out the window together. Helga marveled at the sight of the dense jungle beneath her. There was no sign of life down there or any room to land for that matter. Soon though, the area cleared up just enough for Eduardo to have room to land. Once they were on the ground, Arnold practically jumped out of the helicopter and took a deep breath.

"Oh, I missed the fresh air here!"

"I imagine; you've been in an overpopulated city for the past months." Helga agreed and took a deep breath as well once she was out. "And I'm hot…"

"Take off your shirt." Arnold said with a chuckle before he followed his own suggestion.

Helga ogled Arnold's abs for a moment before she let her own shirt slide down her arms. She was wearing a bra and a tank top underneath so her upper body quickly cooled down, but her legs was a different matter. She deeply regretted not insisting on getting some different clothes for the trip; jeans were not ideal in the jungle.

"You think Stella and I are the same size?" Helga asked as she pulled at the hem of her jeans to cool her stomach down.

"I think she can find something that fits you." Arnold answered.

"You can just leave your shirts in the helicopter, kids." Eduardo said before he took off his own shirt and wrapped it around his waist. "I'll keep mine with me, but just thought I'd offer."

"I'll leave mine. Not much use for it here." Helga decided and threw her shirt inside the helicopter. "If only I could leave my jeans as well."

Arnold copied Helga, desperately trying to ignore her somewhat suggestive words. After tying her hair into a ponytail, and thanking her lucky stars that she always had a hair tie in her pocket, she followed the men through the jungle. Helga was distracted by the beauty of the jungle for about five minutes before she felt bored. It wasn't that she was lazy, in fact she liked working out and was a very sporty girl, but hiking was boring. It was just walking and nothing else. She had no idea how many times she had already asked when they were going to be there, but when Eduardo sneered his answer at her, she figured it had been one time too many and decided to shut up.

"Helga, try to enjoy yourself!" Arnold said bubbly.

"How?"

"Enjoy the scenery."

"And again; _how_? Everything looks the same. Except for their size, palm trees look exactly the same."

"Then talk to me."

"Gladly!" Helga bellowed happily before waving her hand at her face.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Helga groaned. " _You're_ supposed to entertain _me_."

"Remind me why you brought her along, Arnold." Eduardo questioned who was a few feet ahead of the blondes.

"She's not usually this cranky."

"The hell I'm not." Helga argued and blew a stray lock of hair away from her face. "Did you really miss this burning hell?"

"It'll cool off in the evening."

"It better… but I guess the humidity is here to stay." Helga complained with a sigh.

The blonde girl started pulling on her tank top, hoping to get some air down her stomach. Arnold gazed at her for a bit, but looked away the moment she noticed him. It had been somewhat easy to ignore what had almost happened the night before because everything else had demanded his attention; classmates, grandparents and finally, actual sleep once they were in the helicopter. Despite Arnold's attempt to be taken in by the scenery, he had to agree with Helga that trees couldn't differ in shapes and sizes enough to entertain someone's thoughts. Especially not when a much more beautiful sight was right next to you.

Helga made a crooked grin and leaned closer to whisper in Arnold's ear. "I know it might be selfish of me, considering that I've had you all to myself for months, but do you think we could sneak away at some point tonight?"

Arnold had to ignore the shiver that went down his spine the moment her breath hit his neck. "Why do you ask?" he asked somewhat innocently, but there was a hint of something in his eyes that told the blonde girl that he knew the answer on some level.

"No reason." Helga insisted casually and let her thumb rest in the pocket of her jeans.

Arnold looked at the pocket curiously, noticing a very small, almost undetectable bulge. "What was it you went to get before we left?"

Helga smirked. "I think you know what I went back to get." She answered with a wink.

Arnold blinked a couple of times before he looked straight ahead. "Yeah, I think we can sneak away at some point." He said with a fairly high-pitched voice.

Helga laughed heartily and threw her arm over Arnold's shoulders. "Have I ever told you how much I love your enthusiasm?"

Arnold chuckled with the girl, happy to see her in a better mood, but all that was forgotten when he recognized the path leading to the village. He looked at Helga, sending her a silent question. She smiled, nodded at him and pushed at his back to give him a running start. Arnold bolted down the path, going straight for his parents' hut. He called his mother's name when he saw her in the window.

Stella looked up, shocked to hear his voice at first, almost as if she didn't believe her own ears. Then she looked in the direction of his voice and saw him running towards her. Despite the immediate, natural thought that she must be hallucinating, she dropped her notebook and stumbled off her chair. She ran out of the hut just in time to catch Arnold in her arms. Tears promptly streamed down her face when she truly understood she had her son in her arms.

"Oh, my God, Arnold! How are you—Why are you—"

"It's a long story." Arnold sobbed. He knew he had missed his mom, but seeing her after so long made him feel all the longing and sorrow he had felt earlier all at once.

"You can tell me the details later. I'm just so happy you're back!" Stella bellowed, caressing her son's face as she looked him over and pulled him into another hug.

"That sight makes the hike worth it." a female voice said behind the mother and son and they turned around to look at its owner.

"Agreed." Eduardo mused as he stood beside Helga, grinning with her.

"Eduardo?" Stella questioned in surprise and looked at Helga. "And… someone I don't know."

"Helga Pataki." Arnold said fondly and his smile wasn't lost on his mother. "She helped me get back."

Stella looked back at Helga who bowed sarcastically. "Maybe I do want _some_ details after all." She admitted and that's what she got.

Arnold wasn't sure how long it took him to tell his mother the story of how he came to Hillwood, met Helga and eventually his grandparents and how Eduardo had brought him home and Helga had joined him for the ride. He did know that by the time he was finished, Stella pulled Helga into a bone-crushing hug. She thanked her over and over again for taking care of her son while he was unaware that his grandparents were so close to him. After that, she had smacked her son at the back of his head, scolding him for not realizing sooner. It had elicited a hearty laugh from the blonde girl and Arnold had felt both embarrassed and happy to be scolded by his mother again.

Almost as soon as Stella had finished explaining that she and Miles had taken turns looking for Arnold in the jungle, Miles came back from his most recent search. When he saw Arnold sitting on the ground, he had stopped up in shock. It was Arnold who had to approach him and hug him before he comprehended that his son was back. Once Miles had stopped weeping, Stella had summarized their son's story.

Miles looked at his son in disbelief. "How could you forget that your grandparents live in Hillwood?"

"I blame you." Stella mused and crossed her arms.

"How?!" Miles asked in shock.

"You're his dad!"

The two women, who had exclaimed the exact same words at the exact same time, stared at each other in surprise.

"I guess grandpa was right." Arnold said after looking between the two women in front of him. "You and mom do resemble each other."

Stella looked curiously between her son and Helga before she crossed her arms and leaned a little closer to the blonde girl. "We seem to have _one_ thing in common at least… or am I wrong?" she whispered and cocked her head discreetly towards the blonde men who were both completely oblivious to the secret meaning behind her words.

Helga felt her face flush, and not from the heat. "I don't know what you're talking about." She insisted, but when Stella smiled knowingly at her, she smiled back. She didn't mind Stella being aware of her feelings towards her son. It wasn't like Helga could take him away from her.

"The Green-Eyes!" Miles bellowed and took his son's arm. "They have missed you so much, we have to go and see them!"

"Missed him or his protection?" Helga asked sarcastically before she, Stella and Eduardo followed Miles as he dragged his son through the village.

"So Arnold has told you about his birth, I assume?" Stella asked.

"I feel a little bad for him… but _you_ have my full sympathy." Helga explained. When Stella gave her a confused look, Helga moved her hands up to her head and spread them widely.

Stella chuckled. "Oh, yes… that was not an easy birth."

"Giving birth to a head like that in a jungle… I would have torn someone else's head off." Helga mused, but she knew she was at least half serious.

"She almost did tear my and Miles' heads off with her screaming." Eduardo joked, but earned a warning glare from both of the women. "Eh, I sense a threat when I see it. I'll go to Miles and Arnold where it's safe."

"He's smarter than Miles and Arnold put together." Helga joked while Eduardo jogged away from them.

"Lucky for us." Stella said with a smile and looked at Helga again. "Am I wrong to assume that my son is a little… smitten with you?"

"You'd be _very_ wrong." Helga said and smiled happily. "He's _really_ smitten with me."

"I see…" Stella said with a smirk and looked at her son who was ensuring the Green-Eyes that he was unharmed. "It must have been difficult then… to let him come back here."

"What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't just keep him under lock and key."

"Perhaps not… but people with colder hearts may have pretended they didn't know Phil and Gertrude." Stella insisted.

"Yeah, well… if I had a frozen heart before, Arnold has melted it." Helga said, but cringed her nose the moment the words had left her mouth. "See, this is why it's a good thing that Arnold's come back here; I've become _really_ cheesy since I met him!"

Stella chuckled good-heartedly, hiding her mouth behind her hand as she did so. "Miles did the same to me." she said and smiled when the girl gave her a curious look. "I was more of a… practical woman when I met him. Somehow, he made me the cheesiest romantic ever."

"Arnold's got the same charm… so to speak." Helga said, feeling embarrassment flood through her veins. It wasn't like she had talked about feelings with a mother-figure before. It made it all the more awkward that it was Arnold's mother-figure and not someone else's.

"Will you be ok?" Stella asked gently, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

Helga's breath hitched in her throat. "I'm gonna have to be, don't I?" she half-joked, her mouth twitching in an attempt of a smile.

"Strangers!" a small girl bellowed as she pointed at Helga.

Helga stepped back when the Green-Eyes all looked up at her in horror and curiosity. "Should I be scared?"

"No, no… probably."

"Probably?!" Helga repeated in shock and took another step back when the Green-Eyed people starting closing in on her. "I-I mean no harm! I was the one who brought back your Football-headed god!"

"Stop!" Arnold bellowed just before he came between Helga and the Green-Eyes. The villagers halted immediately. "This girl saved me. Treat her with care."

Helga automatically put a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Thanks."

The Green-Eyes gasped at the sight of Helga being so familiar with Arnold. Murmurs of curiosity about the girl and their relationship were shared before the sound of something akin to a wind chimer echoed in the village and everyone went silent. Everyone turned around, except for the blondes who were already faced in the right direction, and saw a woman stand near one of the many tents spread around the village. She was holding a staff, decorated with round pieces of wood, feathers and pearls that were gently blowing in the wind.

"Tanana." Arnold whispered.

"Should I be scared?" Helga asked again, but Arnold immediately shook his head.

The shaman approached the young couple, using her staff with every step she took. Once she was close to them, she eyed them intensely. Everyone was staring at her, awaiting her response. Arnold couldn't help but reach for Helga's hand and she took it without hesitation or looking away from the shaman for even a second. Then the reaction came, but it wasn't one anyone expected; the shaman smiled cheekily.

"I sense love." Tanana said knowingly.

Arnold looked at Helga over his shoulder, blushing intensely with the blonde girl. "T-Tanana, I—I—"

"You cannot lie to me, young one. When Tanana senses love, it is truly in the air."

"I wasn't… going to lie, Tanana." Arnold insisted. "I just wanted to introduce you… Helga?"

Helga stepped meekly forward, unsure whether to reach out for Tanana's hand or not. "My name is Helga… Nice to meet you."

Tanana gave one loud, hearty laugh that caused the blonde girl to flinch and bow down. "The discomfort in your voice is too thick, my child!" she said and put her hand on the girl's shoulder, making her look up at her. "Don't fear old Tanana. She couldn't hurt a fly."

Helga grinned at the old woman's confession and stood up straight. "You could always whack me with your staff?" she suggested jokingly.

"I have a feeling you would be able to dodge, my dear." Tanana said and chuckled. She looked behind Helga who quickly stepped to the side so she could speak with Arnold. "It is a strong, independent lady you have found, Arnold. She will be able to not just stay by your side when you will face the troubles you must encounter in your life, but will guide you through them and keep your head held high. You have found a rare flower."

Both Arnold and Helga smiled in embarrassment, but Arnold couldn't help but feel a sting in his heart. "Helga won't stay, Tanana."

"I know." The shaman said matter-of-factly and smiled between the blondes who looked at each other in confusion. What was this woman not telling them? Tanana then gasped excitedly and looked at Arnold. "Would you like to be bonded?"

"B—B—Bon—" Arnold repeated in absolute shock and looked at Helga, his face tomato-red.

The girl herself was confused though everyone else around her knew exactly that Tanana had suggested. She looked at Stella who was struggling to keep her chuckle down, Miles who looked like one big question mark and Eduardo was merely smirking to himself. This irritated the blonde girl and she frowned at Arnold.

"What does that mean?"

All Arnold could do was stutter some incoherent words, so Helga looked at the shaman instead. "A bonding ceremony is the Green-Eyes' way of ensuring a happy life for two people who are connected by their hearts. It is a union between two souls who have already merged in their emotions." Tanana explained.

Helga blinked a couple of times, processing the shaman's words. "What you're talking about sounds an awful lot like… a wedding ceremony." She said and looked questioningly at Stella and Miles. While the woman was trying to seem casual about it, the man was nodding intensely. Helga leaned away from the shaman, shock apparent on her face.

"It is our way to ensure that two hearts who have found love will never be separated. No matter how far apart they are, as long as they remember each other, they will always find their back to each other." Tanana explained again, her voice soft as the wind around them.

The shock on Helga's face faltered a bit at those words. _Always find their back to each other…_ She repeated in her mind and looked at Arnold with determination. "Arnold," she spoke and he looked at her, his face still completely flushed. "I don't know if this is the right way to ask this question… but would you like to be bonded with me?"

Arnold could feel his heart leap out of his chest and crash back into his ribcage at that question. "H—Helga…" he whispered in embarrassment. "Th—This isn't something we should go into halfheartedly, it's a very serious ceremony to the Green-Eyes and—"

"I'm not doing this halfheartedly." Helga said matter-of-factly, successfully making Arnold silent and look at her in wonder. "Tanana said it herself; it's a ceremony to help people stay together and, Arnold… I don't want tomorrow to be our final day together. I'm not sure if I believe in this mumbo jumbo, but right now I'm willing to do anything someone says would make sure I'd see you again someday."

Arnold could feel his heart swell, soften and heat up all at the same time. A loving smile spread on his face and Helga's face mirrored his own. He nodded meekly, but when Tanana asked him to say it, he shouted it with all his might. Helga laughed happily as she jumped into his arms and he swung her around. The Green-Eyes erupted into a joyous uproar. A bonding ceremony was always welcome and was a grand feast. Tanana shooed them all, telling them to go and prepare. She apologized to Arnold and took Helga's hand, dragging her with her and into one of the tents.

Arnold stayed back, a dazed and dreamy expression on his face. "A bonding ceremony…" he muttered and chuckled giddily. "Never thought I'd have one."

"Me neither." Miles said a bit sternly and pulled his son out of his pink cloud. "Mind explaining to me what exactly happened in Hillwood?"

"Oh, Miles, you're being too protective." Stella insisted.

"Protective?" Miles said before his stern expression melted into a smile. "I just want to know what this girl did to get my son so wrapped around her little finger that he'd agree to basically marry her after only knowing her for a few months!"

"Probably the same thing I did to _you_." Stella mused and nuzzled her husband's hair. A very faint blush spread on his cheeks and she giggled happily. "Don't meddle too much, darling. You know that the way of the Green-Eyes isn't the way of the western world. Our son won't be legally bound to this girl."

Miles chuckled. "I guess not." He said with a smile and clapped his son's shoulders. "This is so exciting!"

"Oh, I must go and help the women get Helga ready!" Stella shrieked happily and bounced away. "A bonding ceremony, I can't wait!"

"Thanks for doing this, Arnold. I haven't seen your mom be so girlishly happy in years."

"I'm not doing it for mom's sake."

"I know." Miles said and patted his son's shoulder. "But if this girl is anything like your mother, you're going to keep doing things like this for her the rest of your life."

"I'm doing this for my own sake as much as Helga's." Arnold insisted while his father started to lead him towards the tent where the male Green-Eyes were waving them over eagerly.

"I know, son." Miles said and chuckled. "I know."

* * *

Arnold didn't see Helga for the next many hours. He knew the Green-Eyes had many traditions, especially with bonding ceremonies. He wasn't sure of course, since he had never met any other tribes, but he had a feeling that the Green-Eyed people differed from other tribes. The Green-Eyes was an isolated people after all with very much their own ideals and traditions, This ceremony would have its similarities to other wedding traditions, but the way of the Green-Eyes was unique.

Arnold knew both he and Helga would be put through a challenge to test the strength of their love. The Green-Eyes were fair and gentle though so Arnold didn't fear his own or Helga's life. He did wonder if Helga would be able to find her bonding gift for him though; she didn't know the San Lorenzo jungle and for her to scout the place for one of its rarest flowers without any help worried him.

Arnold knew exactly where to look and easily found the flower with time to spare so he went to try and find Helga. He knew he wasn't allowed to help her or even interact with her, but he couldn't bring himself to let her roam around the jungle without at least one kind soul to watch over her.

When Arnold found Helga though, his worries were mocked. Not only did she seem to have the determination of an Amazon warrior, she even got the flower which had been growing dangerously close at the edge of the very same waterfall Arnold had jumped from at the beginning of his journey. He had forgotten how athletic his soon-to-be significant other was. He had left her with a carefree smile on his face, certain nothing harmful could touch her. If anything, the jungle should fear her.

After both blondes had returned to the village with their tributes, the more festive preparations could begin. While the children decorated the village and collected butterflies, the grown-ups helped the couple getting ready. At different times, they were sent to the river to wash themselves in order to be blessed by the spirit of the Earth and to symbolize a new and clean beginning. Needless to say, Helga was just happy to soak in the cool water for a bit before she had to go back and get dressed by strange women. She had wondered what she was going to wear and was positively surprised.

Once the women were finished, Helga was dressed in a pale-skinned robe with elbow-long, loose sleeves. It was tied securely around her waist with a large belt with some cryptic symbols on it that looked almost Celtic to Helga, but she kept that thought to herself. What did she know about native symbols after all? The skirt went straight to her ankles and her feet were covered in moccasins. They were more comfortable than she had imagined, but mostly, she thought the air to her legs was refreshing.

Helga's blonde hair – after being thoroughly admired and discussed as if it was an alien – was braided over her shoulder with flowers and petals stuck in-between each section of the braid and a flower crown adored her head. Helga had to admit she felt pretty without feeling masked as well. It was very simple and yet sweet and she couldn't wait to see Arnold's reaction.

Arnold himself was already at the ancient temple along with the other guests, waiting for Helga's arrival. Only Stella was missing. The tradition was usually that the mother of the intended would lead her to the temple, but due to the circumstances, Stella was chosen as the chaperon, a job she had taken upon herself happily.

Arnold readjusted the ankle-long ocelot-skinned cape on his shoulders and fidgeted with the hem of the matching leggings. He stepped on his moccasin-clad feet, feeling his nerves getting to him. He wasn't afraid of the union or regretted it, but he still felt nervous. He prayed to the Great Spirits that they would bless the union and he would truly see Helga again.

"Here comes the bride." Miles sang jokingly, causing his son to blush as he looked in the same direction.

Near the lake, Stella could be seen rowing a canoe with Helga sitting in it. Once they reached the shore, a few villagers helped steady the canoe while Stella took Helga's hand and helped her onto the ground. She escorted Helga up the path to the temple while children released butterflies around them. Once Helga was up the stairs to the temple, she and Arnold finally saw each other. Helga took Arnold's breath away and Arnold made Helga's knees tremble. They felt like the luckiest people in the world. At least until tomorrow.

Unlike Miles and Stella's wedding, Tanana was the one to perform the ceremony. A not too surprising thing, considering this was a Green-Eyes' ceremony while Miles and Stella were wed and Helga and Arnold were to be bonded. Much like Miles and Stella's wedding though, Arnold and Helga's celebrant spoke for a long time. At first, both were completely enthralled as they listened to Tanana's beautiful speech.

"Now you will feel no rain for each of you will be shelter to the other. Now you will feel no cold for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your togetherness and may your days be good and long upon the earth." Tanana had spoken and both blondes had felt the gravity of her words.

But the blondes' attention span failed them soon and impatience took over. Tanana seemed to be talking forever and while the words she poke were ethereal, it didn't change the fact that she was speaking them to two teenagers who were eager to move on. Helga and Arnold looked at each other impatiently. They gave a nod and then called Tanana's name, silencing her for the first time in a half hour.

"Tanana, We're not getting any younger, I'm leaving in the morning and I'd _really_ like to actually celebrate this ceremony afterwards as well, so could you wrap this up?" Helga asked and Arnold nodded as politely as he could.

Tanana shook her head in amusement. "The folly of youth!" she joked to the Green-Eyes who laughed heartily.

"Why were _we_ too polite to say anything?" Stella questioned.

"We were older." Miles whispered in amusement.

"Present your tokens." Tanana declared.

Helga and Arnold showed the flower they had collected for each other. While Arnold put the flower behind Helga's ear, she attached her flower on his cape like a brooch.

"The flower you have bestowed upon each other represents your love for the flower is fragile and needs care and safety. The road ahead of you is a trying one so nurture the love you have in your hearts and not in your memories." Tanana spoke and the blondes smiled lovingly at each other.

They were about to lean forward and kiss before Tanana continued speaking. They knew she was about to resume a long speech, so they sent her a warning stare. She grinned cheekily and made do with shaking her staff over the couple, spraying them with a dust Helga didn't know what was exactly.

"Not as weird as rice, but still weird." Helga mumbled and sneezed.

A roar of cheers roared through the temple. Helga smile deviously at Arnold before she grabbed him and swung him down into a Hollywood-kiss. She could clearly hear Stella's voice booming through the crowd at that. Arnold's face was completely flushed, but it was adorned by a wide, goofy grin as well.

They ran down the stairs while some villagers started playing on some instruments like drums, rattles and flutes. The villagers danced around Arnold and Helga and the young coupled copied their steps. Helga tried to follow them the best she could, but it was hard when there hadn't been time to teach her how the traditional dance was. Arnold was good at guiding her though and luckily, the steps were often repeated so Helga was able to follow them after a minute or so.

The couple was given a gift from the Green-Eyes as well, the same gift they had given Stella and Miles back when they got married; a piglet. A pig was supposed to bring a couple good fortune and while Helga thought it was the weirdest thing she had ever heard, she had to admit that the pig was cute. The couple had discussed what name to give the piglet and finally settled on a mixture between their middle names. So Geraldine and Phillip became Gerallip. They agreed the pig should stay in the jungle with Arnold and he was looking forward to having a pig following him again like Abner had done when he was alive.

None of the blondes were quite sure for how long they had been dancing, feasting and celebrating before they could both feel their impatience running low. They both knew where this night would go, bonding ceremony or not, and Arnold finally grabbed Helga's hand and gave her a suggestive look. She had smiled at him and looked around to make sure no one were looking at them and then followed him into the jungle. Both blondes had giggle fits as they ran as quickly and far as their legs could carry them. They knew this moment, like all of the moments from this entire day, would be carved into their memories forever.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: This bonding ceremony was NOT part of the plan… at all xD It came to me as soon as I wrote Tanana's question about being bonded x'D I thought it'd be kind of a sweet idea to have them get a sort of wedding ceremony without it being an actual wedding and I kinda went along with the idea even though it means there'll be TWO more chapters and not just one because, obviously, I didn't get to write the love-making scene into this one x'D**

 **I tried looking up how native American weddings would go, but it was difficult finding any proper information so I had to come up with some stuff of my own. I figured that the Green-Eyes are a fictional people anyway so I could technically do whatever I wanted anyway xD Tanana's words at the ceremony though is copied straight from a website about the words spoken at a particular tribal ceremony which I have unfortunately forgotten what was called.**


	15. Two different directions

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **Once Arnold and Helga got to San Lorenzo, Arnold was met with love from his parents. When he told them how he got back, they thanked Helga and Stella felt quite the connection with the young girl once she realized the girl had feelings for her son. Tanana welcomed Arnold back and suggested he and Helga would have a bonding ceremony.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: A guest reviewer (again, people, please keep in mind I can't freaking answer your reviews in private messages when you're guests x'D) said that Helga and Arnold's bonding ceremony may be considered a legal marriage in the U.S. I have a few things to say to that.**

 **First of all, Arnold and Helga are like 16-years-old. They can't get legally married in the US, can they? I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but you have to be 18-years-old where I live to be "legally" bound to anyone.**

 **Second of all, the guest reviewer said this: "** **Arnold and Helga's bonding ceremony could end up being considered legally binding back in Hillwood. Considering the isolated nature of the Green Eyed people, I'm not sure how that could happen though. Maybe word of the Union could get back through Eduardo, or the agency that Miles and Stella work/volunteer for?" I just want to point out that Stella and Miles living with Arnold in San Lorenzo is of their OWN accord, they're not "working" for anyone. In my story, they live there because they want to and not in order to work. Sure, they protect the Green-Eyes from poachers and strangers, etc. but they aren't working. This isn't a job to them.**

 **I just wanted to point out these few things, mostly the second part. But, really, I don't think it's so important that it should even have been brought up… Remember, guys, this is a work of fiction based on fiction. It's as fictional as it gets, real life rules don't count here. That's kinda what makes fiction fun, you can do whatever the hell you want! xP**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 15: "Two different directions"

"Arnold! How far do we need to go?" Helga asked, holding her dress up so she could follow the eager boy through the jungle.

"Not much further!" Arnold answered excitedly, turning around and running backwards so he could look at her. He changed the hand holding hers from right to left and turned around to keep running.

"I don't think they'll follow us!" Helga insisted, but then frowned. "Would they?"

"That's not why!" Arnold chuckled as he followed the familiar path through the jungle. Once he was sure they were at the right place, he stopped and felt Helga put her hand on his back to stop her feet from continuing through the jungle. "Here. This is it. Helga, I wanted to show you—"

Before Arnold could finish his sentence, Helga wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing him. He landed against a tree, too caught up in the feeling of her lips against his to even be surprised. He pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her back with all of his willpower, forgetting why he had brought her so far away from the festivities. Helga started kissing his cheek and his jawline and he couldn't help but shiver. He leaned his head back, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of her moist lips on his sweaty skin while her hands were unhooking the cape around his shoulders. He felt the cold air hit his skin and the ocelot skin behind his feet. He almost started untying her belt, but then his eyes caught sight of the reason he had brought them there.

"Helga, wait." Arnold whispered and gave her one last kiss at the corner of her mouth before he moved his head away. "I have something to show you."

Helga looked at him curiously before a crooked smirk adorned her face. "I've seen it already." She said mischievously.

It took Arnold a few moments before he realized what Helga was referring to and his skin turned rose-red. "Not that!" he insisted and chuckled awkwardly with her. "No, look!"

Arnold turned Helga to her side and she finally understood why this place was so special to him. She gasped in wonder as little, golden dots started to grow in the air around them, creating a beautiful, mellow light. The fireflies were flying around them, seemingly unaware of their presence. Helga took a couple of steps closer and looked around in amazement. She said it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and Arnold agreed, but not for the same reason. The sight of Helga in the jungle, his home, with the fireflies floating around her like she belonged there, it was the most beautiful and melancholic sight he'd ever gaze upon.

"Well, I'm thoroughly seduced." Helga half-joked and moved her arms behind her back, gazing at Arnold lovingly. "This day couldn't have been more perfect. I've seen your world, become a part of it, even participated in an actual ceremony… and now, I'm standing here in a horde of fireflies with you."

Arnold got a dreamy smile on his face. "It's been a day beyond my imagination." He said shyly. "I never thought I'd ever get bonded with anyone."

"Me neither." Helga answered honestly. She moved her hand up to the flower in her hair and touched it gently. "I wish I could keep this flower."

Arnold approached Helga and took her hand. "If you stayed, I could bring you a new one every day."

Helga sighed. "Arnold—"

"I know, I'm sorry." The boy apologized instantly and caressed her knuckles with his thumb. "It's just… hard to imagine that I have to let you go tomorrow."

Helga looked away, guilt brimming in her eyes, but then took his cheeks in her hands. "But that's tomorrow… Tonight, I'm yours."

Arnold felt his face flush against her palms. He put one of his hands on top of hers and used the other to pull her into a kiss. She kissed him back gently, almost too gently. Arnold wanted her to make him forget that there was going to be a tomorrow and a day after tomorrow without her. He _needed_ her to help him forget so he pushed her up against one of the trees. She gasped in surprise, but it was mixed with an excited moan and she could feel her body tingling from the animalistic action. She wanted him to keep acting like that so she scraped her nails on his skin, making a light red trail on his body.

Arnold groaned at the sensation, feeling instincts bubble inside him. He hadn't overlooked the sound Helga made when he pushed her up against the tree so he decided to try something else he had been curious about. He tickled her arms and she let them fall down her sides. He grabbed the wrists and pushed her a little more against the tree, using his own body to cover hers. He nibbled on her lower lip and the whimper she made sent a dominating impression through him. He could feel her press closer to him and her legs shake.

After caressing Helga's palms for a bit, Arnold grabbed her by her waist and started pulling on her dress. She looked at him with an expectant look in her eyes and once the skirt was above her thighs, he moved his leg in-between hers, eliciting a shaky moan from her. Neither one of the blondes knew where Arnold's boldness came from, but it wasn't unwelcome to any of them.

Helga lifted her leg a little bit, caressing Arnold's waist with the inside of her thigh. He reacted by putting his hands on her thighs, digging his dull nails into her skin. He started kissing her lips again, this time letting his tongue delve her mouth, exploring every detail of it. She reciprocated the kiss weakly, trying to provoke him into becoming more aggressive. It was surprisingly thrilling. She never knew she would like being the more submissive one.

Arnold didn't have time for such thoughts. Frankly, his mind was blank. Despite their former intimate moments, he had never truly taken his time to explore Helga's body and now he did. He put his hands behind Helga's back, starting to untie the belt. It fell to the ground and her dress opened a little bit. Now her pretty dress mostly looked like a disheveled robe and the sight of her like that sent a shiver down his spine.

Arnold continued kissing Helga everywhere he could reach. Her breath got heavier and heavier the further his mouth went and it sent a kind of ecstasy through him that felt more intoxicating than the drinks he'd had on New Year's Eve. Once he reached her chest, his kisses became slower and more calculated. He closed his eyes while his hands moved her robe to the sides, exposing her skin to the warm jungle air. Keeping his eyes closed, Arnold moved his trail of kisses to the side until he hit a small bump he knew was her nipple. He remembered the way it had felt when Helga had touched his nipples and kissed it curiously.

The shriek that came out of Helga's mouth embarrassed her. Warm lips and a wet tongue felt different from fingers after all and she prayed Arnold would do it again. Her wish was granted and he started licking her breasts as if trying to drink the sweat on her skin. Helga let her head fall back, thanking her lucky stars that the tree was there to catch her, and shivered with delight from Arnold's antics. She wasn't impatient as such, but she was eager and she couldn't stand just feeling all of this and not have anything else to entertain her thoughts. So Helga dug her hands inside Arnold's leggings, desperate to find some way to distract herself.

Arnold's mouth left Helga's breast to gasp her name. She smiled at the raspy tone in his voice, happy to still be able to affect him so much after all this. She started to stroke him teasingly, almost skillfully despite her very few experiences with it. Arnold almost forgot his own mission, but dove at her chest again, kissing, licking and sucking hungrily at every spot he could find. It was hard to focus on your own mission when your partner was distracting you, but they both did their best.

Helga could feel her legs start to quiver. She put her hands on Arnold's shoulders to warn him and he followed her down to the ground. He landed on his knees between her legs, never letting his mouth detach from her skin. She had been wanting this for the past two days so she was reaching her limit. She knew she would definitely be roaring like a jaguar if anything interrupted them now. She wanted to tell him to hurry up, but at the same time she didn't want to rush this. She wanted to take her time and enjoy everything that was Arnold. His touch, his voice, his smell, everything. There was no need to rush; they had all night. Having their whole life would be preferable, but there was no need to dream about what was impossible.

"Arnold, p—please…" Helga begged and she had never felt more pathetic in her life, but she didn't care. She could be pathetic in front if Arnold if no one else.

Arnold knew what Helga was asking for and he hoped that whatever instinct had helped him so far was there to stay. He let his hands fall from Helga's breasts down her sides and to her thighs. He continued kissing her chest, but was much more lazily now since his mind was elsewhere. He felt nervous and curious all at the same time as he moved her robes more to the side. She shivered from the air, but she seemed completely calm while he touched her. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not; he was a nervous wreck whenever she touched him after all.

Arnold let his left hand, his dominant hand, move between Helga's legs. He touched her stomach at first before letting his hand slide down until he felt hair rather than skin. It felt a little odd against his palm, but not bad. He played around with it for a bit, mostly trying to procrastinate what was coming next. He had no idea what he was doing while he was searching for whatever could make Helga feel what she had made him feel. He felt the trail of hair stop somewhere and moved towards something extremely warm and wet. He was almost shocked at the difference between two places that were so close to each other.

Helga made a small whimper when Arnold managed to reach the little nub of nerves and she prayed he had noticed it himself so she didn't have to lead him back there. Arnold had never been more focused in his life so he did indeed notice Helga's sound. He tried finding the same spot and when he got the same response, he knew he found the right place. He moved his finger up and down near the spot, switching between circling it and rubbing two fingers against it. The sight of Helga's lips parted into a silent gasp told him he was doing it right.

Due to the wetness, Arnold's fingers slipped at one point and he found something new, something that made Helga gasp even louder. He wanted to look at her in surprise, but he was too curious about this new place. He moved his fingers towards it, noticing there was room for his finger inside of her. He looked at her questioningly, wondering if he was even supposed to touch that place. She nodded fervently at him so he figured that if he wasn't supposed to touch it, she really didn't care.

Arnold took his time in maneuvering his finger into this foreign place that was even hotter and wetter than before. Once he felt the prickly hair against his palm, Helga made a groan of satisfaction. She fell to the side and Arnold followed her.

"Helga?" Arnold asked worriedly, but didn't dare remove his hand from her before she spoke to him.

"I—I'm fine." Helga gasped with a happy smile on her face.

"So… you want me to continue?"

"If you don't, you'll be a jaguar chow." Helga joked, but Arnold looked slightly taken aback at her words. She put a soothing hand on his cheek. "Just kidding… but seriously, continue."

Arnold smiled lovingly at Helga before he kissed her. She reciprocated the kiss eagerly while moving her hips against his hand. He moved his finger around and she whimpered at the action. There wasn't much room though so, unsure what else to do, he tried taking his finger out and moving it back in. When he did it again her body moved against his hand. They created a perfectly harmonious rhythm and Arnold allowed himself to stop kissing her in order to admire her. The sight of Helga, on the same ground he had treaded on so many times while quivering in pleasure, was absolutely breathtaking.

"A—Arnold?" Helga said while looked at him through half hooded eyes. "C—Could you… touch the other place too?"

Arnold almost asked Helga what the other place was, but figured it out himself before he finished the thought. He considered for a moment how he could best touch that place at the same time, but came to the conclusion that adding another hand would feel weird so he used his thumb instead. Helga's reaction was worth the awkward posture of his wrist; her head was moving from side to side and her eyes were shut tightly. Arnold tried moving in smooth motions, but Helga moving around made it difficult. In frustration, he put his arm over her stomach and started kissing her chest to keep her still. She was still wiggling her hips, but he could move his fingers how he wanted to now.

Helga gasped Arnold's name in a keen voice as she grabbed his head. The feeling of her holding onto his hair, as if her life depending on it, was as nerve-wrecking as it was encouraging. Arnold continued all of his actions nevertheless, deciding not to stop unless Helga told him to. Her other hand went to his back and her nails dug into his back. To his surprise, despite the touch being less than gentle, he groaned in pleasure at the feeling. It spurred him on and he moved both his hand on tongue faster.

"K—Keep doing that!" Helga said in a voice that didn't sound like hers. The moaning, which had been so calm and almost collected, was now spewing out of her like a hurricane. She sounded almost as if she was choking, her body started to spasm and her nails ripped at Arnold's skin. She went completely still for a moment and then spoke again in a scruffy voice. "Stop."

Arnold seized all movement and removed himself from Helga to give her room to breathe. "Did… Did you—"

"Uh-huh." Helga said tiredly and nodded her head. She put her hand on his head and pulled him down to her. He smiled as he rested comfortably on her chest, enjoying the feeling of her accelerated breathing calming down.

After a while, Helga and Arnold started kissing again. Their breathing may have calmed down, but their bodies were far from satisfied. Helga moved onto her shoulder, turning her back to Arnold the same way she had two nights before when they were in a far more comfortable bed. Arnold kissed her shoulders and caressed her skin, but he made no move to take it further.

Helga fumbled with her robes for a moment and pulled out the small package. She could feel Arnold look at it curiously as she ripped it open with her teeth. He almost cringed at the sight of the white rubber, but calmed down when the scent of bananas hit his nose. He promised himself to ask Helga later how a condom could smell like bananas. Helga didn't give Arnold the condom, but instead moved her hands behind her to grab him. He gasped at her touch, but helped her roll the condom onto him. It was a very odd feeling, but not unpleasant. He figured he would get used to it soon.

"Come on, Arnold." Helga whispered and Arnold looked at her through hazy eyes. "You must know what to do by now, right? You've seen animals do it too…"

Arnold only had to think about it for a second before he knew what to do. To Helga's surprise, he moved them both to sit up, but her back stayed against his chest. She was half sitting on his lap and she could feel his hardened flesh reaching for her like a magnet. It was a titillating feeling. He nibbled on her shoulders and her neck for a few moments before moving ahead. Helga's palms and knees landed on the ground. Excitement filled her all over again. She never thought she'd like this particular position, but there was something thrilling about a sweet, innocent guy like Arnold doing it. Had he been the least bit more macho, she would have felt humiliated.

Helga looked at Arnold over her shoulder, watching him curiously as he was clearly doing his best to move calmly. She felt him against her entrance and she mentally prepped herself. For a moment, she considered telling him the full truth about sex between humans. Mostly the part that she might feel a bit of pain during it. She just couldn't bring herself to do it; Arnold was such an unbelievably sweet and considerate guy she feared he'd stop this whole thing all together at the mere mention of her being in pain. No, they had gotten too far. She would just have to keep it in if it hurt.

Arnold looked in Helga's eyes one last time before he inserted himself slowly. Helga moved her face away from Arnold to keep her expression out of his sight. It stung like hell and as he kept moving, her nails dug into the ground beneath her, creating a trail of her nails as she scratched. She wanted to curse like a sailor, but kept the urge down. Once Arnold stopped moving, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had been impressed with his size when she first saw it, but now she just felt pissed. She gave herself a mental pat on the back for buying a ribbed condom though. She wasn't sure if it had helped at all, she had nothing to compare with, but she was happy she had chosen that one.

"Are you ok?" Arnold asked. Helga gulped and turned to look at him, wondering if her acting skills weren't as good as she thought. "I'm kinda dizzy."

Arnold had spoken those words so giddily that Helga knew he just wanted to know how she was feeling. She gave him a calm smile. "I'm dizzy too." she admitted though was nowhere close to how she felt. "Start moving. The dizziness will fade away soon."

Arnold nodded like an obedient pup and moved slowly and experimentally. Helga bit on her lower lip, but after just a few strokes, she loosened the grip. She was surprised the discomfort was subsiding already, but perhaps the moment of passion had exceeded the pain? She didn't know and she didn't really care; now, she just wanted to enjoy this again.

Helga stretched her arms, propping herself up in a more dignified position and started moving her body as well. The blondes quickly found a rhythm again and their moaning were in perfect synch as well. Helga's grip on the ground tightened yet again, but for a completely different reason this time. She could feel her body give into her desires and she couldn't help but look back at Arnold to detect his expression. He had already been looking at her it seemed because their eyes met the moment she turned her head. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"A—Arnold, are you feeling it too?" Helga asked, hoping her vague phrasing was enough to make him understand.

"Y—Yes!" Arnold gasped. "A—Are you—"

"Yes! Just k—keep going like that!" Helga answered, stuttering her words with each thrust he made.

Arnold tightened his grip on Helga's hips and she gasped at the feeling. She could feel her breathing betraying her again and it was hard to keep it even. It was hard to concentrate on anything else besides the feeling approaching. She put her hand on top of Arnold's, wanting to verify his presence as if she didn't already know he was there. He tangled their fingers clumsily and they tightened their grips in their hands.

Both blondes screamed each other's names to the jungle night when they reached a high that made them see white. Arnold fell over Helga's back and she fell to the ground with him on top of her. She didn't care that he was heavy; she loved the feeling of his body on hers. Arnold rolled off Helga's back after a moment though, and stared at the stars above him. He continued to breathe heavily, noticing it was in synch with Helga's breathing. He looked at her, smiling at her. She smiled as well when he started playing with her hair. They were totally out of breath, but the delight was still cruising through them.

"Out of all the… new experiences I've had with you, Helga, this… this is my favorite." Arnold said in-between breaths.

Helga couldn't help but chuckle. "That is such a boyish thing to say," she commented, but smiled fondly at him. "but I agree."

The blondes chuckled for a moment as they reached for each other. "I'm just so happy!" Arnold said childishly as Helga found her way into his embrace and he buried his face in her hair.

"Me too." Helga whispered. She rested comfortably on Arnold's chest as she listened to the jungle around her. It was so quiet and incredibly peaceful. A mere moment ago, it had been filled with sounds of their passionate moment together and now, it was serene in the way only a place away from civilization could be. Before Helga fell asleep, she thought it wasn't so bad to be away from the city like this.

* * *

The next morning came far too soon for the two blondes. None of the villager had sought them out during the night so they spent it with each other in peace, but the grim truth was dawning on them. They had taken their time getting dressed and heading back to the village. Everyone clearly knew what had happened between then youngsters the night before, but had the decency not to say anything.

Arnold and Helga were met with yet another grand feast, both as a continuous celebration of the bonding, but also as a farewell party to Helga. Arnold tried to smile for the sake of the villagers who had done their best to make the goodbye less painful, but it wasn't working. The Great Spirits themselves could have appeared before him to comfort him and it wouldn't have made the reality less painful. Helga was leaving and Arnold didn't know if he would ever see her again

To those who truly understood what Arnold and Helga were going through, Helga's leaving was taboo. No one mentioned it with a single word, not even when they were walking through the jungle towards the helicopter. Arnold was of course following Helga and Eduardo to the spot, but Stella and Miles had chosen to join them to show their son support. He was so eerily quiet and Helga seemed to be extremely affected by it as well, but she was handling it differently. Opposite to when they were heading towards the village, Helga was the one to try and distract Arnold. He did his best to pretend that it was working, but he couldn't ignore the knot tying around his heart with every step that brought them closer to the helicopter.

Once they had reached their destination, Arnold was clutching his amulet tightly, trying to convince himself that there was no other way. He couldn't nor wanted to leave his parents behind and Helga couldn't stay either. He didn't want her to give up her dreams. He knew she was going to make it big in her world, he just wished he could be part of it. He looked at her, noticing that she was clutching the necklace he gave her. She looked at him with the weakest smile he had ever seen. She couldn't fool anyone; she didn't want to leave him either.

"Well… ready when you are." Eduardo said, unsure who exactly he was talking to. He stood by the helicopter, about 10 feet away from the small family and Helga. He was leaning against it, pretending he didn't feel the least bit of sympathy for the teenagers. Truth be told, he was weeping on the inside.

"Ready, huh…?" Helga mumbled and looked at Arnold. "Do you feel ready?"

"Don't think I ever will." Arnold said as jokingly as possible. He moved towards her, but then stopped. "I don't want to hug you… It'll be too hard to let go again if I do."

Stella and Miles looked worriedly at each other. They knew it would be hard for their son to let this girl go, but they had no idea it would be this bad. It was obvious to anyone that he cared a lot for her and her for him, but to see this broke their hearts and a sense of guilt washed over them as well.

"So you're just gonna let me leave like this?" Helga asked as if insulted, but she knew Arnold wouldn't do that.

Arnold shook his head instantly and went to wrap his arms around her. Helga tightened her grip around him, her fingers fumbling absentmindedly with his hair. It was almost like soothing a whimpering puppy, but mostly it was just a distraction from her own pain. She wished she knew what to say or do to soothe him. Something to make this less painful. She thought of something, one silly little thing. She remembered how peaceful he had become back when she sang to him, something she had made a habit of on the nights he felt homesick. It was embarrassing to do it in front of his parents, so Helga kept her voice low.

" _I will always be with you_ …" Helga sang softly.

Arnold's ears perked up, picking up the sweet voice instantly. It wasn't a melody he knew, but he could grow himself growing calm while listening to it. Rather than getting sad, a sense of relief washed over him.

" _Makes no difference where your road takes you to. Even if we're apart, now we're joined at the heart. Though our moment may be gone, you and I will still live on_ …" Helga continued singing in Arnold's ear, ignoring his parents' curious stares. She knew they couldn't hear what she was singing, it was written all over their faces, and she didn't want them to. This was for Arnold's ears only.

"Please continue." Arnold said when he thought Helga had been quiet for too long. He felt anxious not hearing her voice at this point. It didn't even matter what she was singing anymore, her voice itself was like an oasis for his withered heart.

" _I will always be with you. I'll be by your side whatever you do. Other memories may fade, but the ones that we made are eternal as a star. Now I'm part of who you are… and I'll be there with you in the sound of your laughter. I'll be in the tears you cry. Because the way you and I have touched one another doesn't end with goodbye. I will always be with you like a guardian-angel, constant and true. When you're lost in the night_ _a_ _nd you can't see the light, my love will see you through_ _. I_ _will always be there_ _._ _You'll have me there. I will always be with you_ …"

Arnold hid his face in the crook of Helga's neck. He wasn't crying and he wasn't sure why. Maybe the mere sound of her voice really did aid his heart to such an extent that he wouldn't cry? That was positive thinking though, even for Arnold. Helga kissed the top of his head gently, but when she leaned back to look at him, he grasped her lips in a searing kiss. He didn't care that his parents were watching; Helga was right, he couldn't let her go knowing he hadn't held her or kissed her one last time.

Helga let her forehead rest against Arnold's for a moment before she took a step back. She was stopped immediately though, but not by her own reluctance or Arnold grabbing her hand. Their necklaces had become entwined from their hug, stopping them from walking away from each other. The blondes made a halfhearted chuckle and untucked their necklaces unwillingly. They held onto each other's hands for as long as they could until the distance between them grew too much and they were forced to let go. Helga quickly turned her back to Arnold, afraid that looking at him for too long would make this more difficult than it already was. Once she reached the helicopter, Eduardo stopped her for a moment to put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She nodded at him, refusing his gaze and walked inside. She sat down, Eduardo closed the door after her and jumped into the helicopter himself.

Arnold barely noticed when his parents each put a hand on his shoulders. He only noticed the feeling of breathlessness. Helga had that effect on him before, but not like this. Breathing was a struggle and when the sound of the propellers started, he almost choked on the air. He grabbed his mother's hand on his shoulder, his hand shaking as he gripped it tightly. He felt a bigger hand atop of his and knew his dad was trying to comfort him as well. When the helicopter lifted off the ground though, Arnold remembered something.

"Wait…" the boy mumbled and took a step forward, bringing his parents with him for a moment. "I forgot something… I forgot to tell her something!"

"Arnold!"

His parents called his name, but Arnold wasn't listening. As soon as he remembered, he started running towards the helicopter, which had already lifted too far into the air. He called Helga's name, screaming for her to hear him, but she didn't even look down. Her eyes were clenched tightly, willing herself to stop the silent tears which were streaming down her face. She couldn't bear to look at Arnold and so, she never noticed him running after the helicopter for as long as he did.

Arnold finally had to stop his chase when he reached the edge of a mountain. He was still screaming at the top of his lungs that he had forgotten to tell Helga something and that she had to come back so that he could tell her. He barely noticed when his parents finally caught up with him, but he did feel it when the tears finally fell down his cheeks, blurring his voice and creating a hitch in his throat.

"Arnold!" Stella called, her voice in a sob and put her hand on her son's shoulder again, but he turned to hug her, practically squeezing the life out of her. "What did you forget?" she asked, trying to stop herself from sobbing, but what kind of mother would not be affected by her child's crying?

"I forgot to tell her I love her! I didn't tell her I love her…" Arnold answered, his voice barely understandable from the sobbing. "Make her come back… I didn't get to tell her! I didn't tell her I love her!"

Stella looked at her husband whose face was as pain-stricken as hers was. They never knew such a strong sense of guilt existed nor that they would ever feel it. Their son seemed to be crumbling into pieces in front of them and they couldn't help but feel responsible. Never had Stella or Miles felt their hearts being pulled in two different directions.

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note:**

 **Me:** _ **… You guys would never hate me… right? OwO**_

 _ ***random reader throws trash at me***_

 **Me:** _ **Characters need to experience sadness before they can have happiness! Dx**_

 **Now! Once again, I leave you with a choice: You can consider the next chapter the epilogue or an alternate ending. I know a lot of people love sad endings (sometimes I do too) but if you're forcing me to tell which ending is the true one, it's the one in the next chapter xD Arnold and Helga are always supposed to have a happy ending in my book :P (Well, perhaps not 100% always, but this time they should xD)**

 **The song Helga sings to Arnold by the end is "I will always be with you" by Sheena Easton and Danny Frazier.**


	16. Match made in heaven

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

 **They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

 **Title: "Strangers like me"**

 **In the last chapter:** _ **After Arnold and Helga's bonding ceremony, the teenagers snuck off to have some alone time. After Arnold showed Helga his favorite spot, a placed filled with fireflies, they consumed their love in the jungle night. The morning came too soon though and Helga had to leave Arnold behind who regretted that he never got to say he loved her.**_

 **Author's 1** **st** **note: So, you may notice that this chapter is shorter than the others and I'm very sorry about that… but I really wanted to finish this story already so Arnold and Helga could have their happy ending and we could all move on to other things. I've personally been waiting to start my next story eagerly and frankly, I just wanted to be done with this story already**

 **[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 16: "Match made in heaven"

"Hey, Arnold!"

Arnold kept staring at the bird in his hands, noticing his mother's voice. She approached him slowly, observing him. The sight was familiar, but so completely alien to her; Arnold had once again found an injured bird in the jungle, much like the day when all this began, but rather than looking worried, his thoughts were clearly somewhere else.

"Arnold?" Stella said and poked his shoulder.

Arnold flinched in surprise, almost squeezing the poor bird in his hands. "Mom!" he squealed when he turned around and saw who had touched him. "You scared me, don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I've been calling your name a few times, dear." Stella explained softly.

"You have?" Arnold asked and thought about it. He couldn't remember hearing anything but his own thoughts, but he nodded apologetically at her anyhow. "I'm sorry… What did you want?"

"Tanana wants to talk to you."

Arnold looked surprised, but simply nodded and handed Stella the bird. Without another word, he walked past her towards the shaman's tent, leaving his worried mother behind him. He hadn't been himself since Helga had left and that was way too long ago by now. She knew it would take time, but it was getting to the point where she was fearing a depression and the jungle had no medicine for that.

On Arnold's way to the tent, he was greeted by the villagers as always. What was different was his own greeting. He tried to smile, to seem enthusiastic, but the mere act of lifting the corners of his lips felt difficult and foreign. When he reached the shrine, he stopped walking for a moment. Before he saw Hillwood, this shrine was mostly just awkward to look at. Now he couldn't help but resent it a little bit. He had never cared for being considered a demi-god, but now he legitimately hated it. He wanted to blame his rotten situation on the Green-Eyes so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to even dislike the people he grew up with. He'd just wish it didn't feel so forced now.

Arnold entered Tanana's tent. She was sitting on the ground, but something about the aura in the tent seemed different. This consultation would be different from the other one, he could feel it. Arnold sat down across the shaman, waiting for her to speak to him.

"You didn't listen to me, Arnold. And you've taken too long to realize that so I've lost my patience."

Arnold looked at Tanana in shock. "Didn't listen to you?" he repeated.

Tanana opened her eyes and gave the boy a sour look. "Before you left the jungle, I gave you our symbol and told you to remember where you belong." She said.

Arnold grabbed the amulet in his palm. "But I did… Tanana, I came home!"

"I did not tell you to come home!" Tanana said sourly and bumped her fist on the boy's head.

"You told me to go where I belong!" Arnold argued as he soothed his sore scalp.

"Where does one belong, boy? What makes a place a home?"

"Well—"

"You belong where your heart is!" Tanana said dramatically.

Arnold's hand fell from his head. "Where my heart is…?" he repeated in a whisper.

Tanana nodded eagerly, awaiting the boy's realization. Arnold caressed the amulet in his hand and it felt so heavy in his palm. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small flower. It was the flower Helga had given him on the night they had been bonded. It was withered and had lost almost all of its petals, but it meant so much to him. He looked at Tanana with determination.

"My heart is with Helga." Arnold finally admitted and Tanana smiled proudly. "But my heart is also here, Tanana!"

Tanana shook her head. "Your heart is with the people you love. Your parents, grandparents and now Helga. It is not the location that makes a place a home, but the people who are there with you."

"But… mom and dad's hearts are here—"

"No, their hearts are with you." Tanana interrupted. "Your parents' hearts have always and will always be with you, no matter where you go. They don't belong here. They never have. We care for your parents and are eternally grateful for what they have done for us, but they do not belong with us. They belong with their family, their son. And you, child, you belong with the girl who has your heart."

Arnold clenched the flower in his hand. He knew it was unfair, but he was so relieved to hear Tanana tell him this. A burden was lifted from his shoulders. He wasn't the only one he felt odd in the jungle, he knew his parents did as well. They had chosen to live here to help the Green Eyes and they cared deeply for the people, but Tanana was right; their hearts weren't here. They were back home. They were just too caring to admit it.

"I want to go home, Tanana…" Arnold admitted in a whisper before feeling a tear escape his eye. "I want to be with, Helga."

"And so you shall." Tanana said with a loving smile. "And your parents shall go with you. It's time you all go home."

Tanana and Arnold stood up and exited the tent. Stella and Miles were right outside, obviously about to head into the tent, but they stopped when their son and the shaman appeared. "Arnold, we—"

"It's time for Stella and Miles to go home!" Tanana declared in a loud voice for all the villagers to hear. "And to take Arnold with them! They have cared for and protected us for many years and it's time for us to repay them by letting them go! They have already wasted so many years of their lives here! It's time for you to return to your own lives."

Stella and Miles looked at each other in shock while the villagers where cheering. The Green Eyes did by no means want their protectors to leave, but Tanana had told them years ago that someday, she would have them leave them so they could return to where they belonged. It saddened the villagers, but they believed in Tanana and knew it was best for them all. Outside interference had never been something The Green-Eyed people were fond of.

"But, Tanana," Miles said in shock. "this is our home."

Tanana shook her head. "Your home is with the people you love and the people you love is Arnold and his heart belongs with Helga." She said matter-of-factly and a tad lazy. "Your son can fill in the blanks. I'm not going through that whole speech again!"

Arnold couldn't help but chuckle at the shaman. "You're irredeemable, Tanana." He said lovingly. "I will miss you so much."

"And I you." Tanana said before she looked up at the sky. "Your transportation will arrive shortly. Be there to meet him."

"But—" Stella complained, but the shaman was already leaving in a giddy manner. "What's going on?!"

Arnold clutched the flower in his hand again. "Mom, dad…" he said softly and tried to collect enough courage to speak. "The day where I was taken away from you… Tanana warned me against it. She told me to remember where I belong and to find my way home… but my home has changed since then and she knew that… My home is where my heart is and that's with Helga. I can't pretend anymore… I miss her so much that it hurts."

Stella and Miles looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Truth be told, they had discussed this scenario before, even before Arnold disappeared. They had always considered the fact that Arnold wouldn't want to stay in the jungle forever, it was a likely situation after all. Most teenagers didn't want to spend the rest of their lives the same place they grew up, but they had never thought it would end up quite like this.

"Stella," Miles said to his wife softly. "I miss my parents."

The confession didn't surprise the woman one bit. "I miss them too… and my own family as well." She admitted a bit sadly. Then she gave a frown. "And I miss sushi!"

Arnold and Miles laughed loudly at the last comment, knowing full well how much she was joking. She absolutely hated raw fish with a burning passion. Arnold never understood that joke until he tried it himself in Hillwood. He didn't think it was that bad, but it didn't surprise him his mother didn't like it.

Miles sighed. "I've considered going back to Hillwood for many years, but I never thought I'd actually do it." he said thoughtfully.

Stella nodded in agreement. "But Tanana is right. Our work here has been done for years… They don't need us anymore, but our son does." She said and smiled at Arnold. "Are you sure you want to go live in the city? It's a difficult life, it's way different than this."

Arnold nodded. "I'm sure!" he said eagerly. "I actually… think I know what I want to work with as well."

"Really?" Stella asked in surprise.

"A teacher." Arnold answered. "I'm not sure about the subject yet, but—"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?!" Miles said excitedly and lifted his son off the ground to swing him around.

"Dad!" Arnold squealed in shock before he was put back down.

The family couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the situation. The day had started like every other and here they were, preparing to go home. They left the village to go to their hut and pack their belongings. It didn't take them long, there wasn't much need for material things in the jungle after all. It was mostly small tokens of affection like the framed picture Miles had of his parents, the letters they had received from the families over the years, their amulets and a few articles of clothing.

Arnold was the first to greet Eduardo once he had landed in the meadow. He jumped into the helicopter, letting his parents explain to the man why they were all there waiting for him. Eduardo had sighed in relief, admitting that the detour to the village had become a slightly tiresome task. A task he would have continued doing till the end of time of course, but nevertheless a bit tedious. He was mostly happy for the family because he knew that Stella and Miles had secretly been pining for the life they had back home before they left to live with the Green Eyes.

While his parents slept through most of the long flight, Arnold was too happy to sleep. As the time had passed, he had noticed how hard it was getting to keep Helga's memory alive. With only his own memories to rely on, Helga's memory had faded a bit over the time. He had done his best to keep it alive and it wasn't like he had forgotten her. How could he? But small things were hard to remember; like her voice. He remembered the way she spoke, but not her voice. He remember her last words to him, the song, but he couldn't hear her singing it. He was looking forward to having his memories refreshed and to start anew.

* * *

In Hillwood, Helga was obliviously unaware of the surprise coming for her. She was fidgeting with the necklace Arnold gave her, but she wasn't aware of it. Everyone else was though and they were all worried about their favorite tomboy. She had been eerily quiet since Arnold had left. They all knew how much they had started caring for each other, but it was clear that it was much more than they thought. They still thought Arnold was Helga's pen pal though so they assumed they were writing to each other. Not that letters could replace actual contact.

"This is so sad, just ever so sad!" Lila bellowed unhappily. It was the first time her classmates had ever seen her so miserable. "It hurts my heart to see someone as strong as Helga be so unhappy."

"I have to admit, I think it's messed up too." Sid said. "I want my rude tomboy back!"

"She's never been yours." Gerald argued, but he knew Sid was joking as always. "I don't know what to do, man. I've never seen Helga like this."

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Sheena asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not." Phoebe muttered, being one of the two to know the full truth.

"If she would give me his address, I could have him shipped back here in no time." Rhonda said sourly.

"No, you really couldn't." Gerald argued and gave Phoebe a knowing look. She gave a crooked smile back before she looked at Helga.

"Maybe it would have been better if she had stayed…" Phoebe whispered to herself.

"This is gonna be the most depressing summer ever if Helga doesn't get back on track." Nadine complained. "She's always been the one to get us together to play sports, who is gonna do that now?"

"We could also think for ourselves." Patty countered, but she didn't seem convinced. "But it's not gonna be as fun without Helga."

Phoebe sighed, but caught a glimpse of something outside the classroom. A car was getting parked at the street near the school yard and it was an odd sight at this time of day. She kept looking at it absentmindedly, but it got her full attention when she recognized one of the people coming out of the old Packard. She lifted her head in shock and pulled at Gerald's shirt to get his attention. He looked in the same direction as her and gasped. That caused everyone in the class, except for Helga who was sitting further away from the others, to look out the window as well.

"Helga!" Phoebe screamed

The blonde girl flinched in shock. She was about to scold her best friend, but the sight of her pointing behind her confused her. Helga turned around in her chair and looked out the window, expecting nothing particularly amazing. The sight she was met with was more than amazing, it was unbelievably. She sat frozen to the spot for a moment longer before she had eye contact with the amazing sight. Then she stood up and ran towards the window and opened it.

"What are you doing here—"

Helga's sentence was cut short when Arnold put his hands on her cheeks and pulled her into a kiss. Helga sighed in relief and happiness while she wrapped her arms around Arnold's shoulders. The classmates were confused, but were cheering at the sight, not that the blondes noticed that. When they stopped the kiss, mostly to get air, they smiled lovingly at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Helga asked again, but this time in a most softer voice.

"I forgot to tell you something." Arnold answered as he put his forehead against hers.

"What?" Helga said in disbelief, but the smile never left her face. "Must be pretty important… for you to go all this way to say it."

"It is." Arnold said and put his hands back on Helga's cheeks. "I love you, Helga."

"Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God!" Lila chanted as she waved her hands at her face. Her classmates gave her a funny look, but they were just as happy as she was.

"Say it back, woman!" Rhonda screamed with a voice just as intense as Lila's was. The girls hugged each other in suspense as if they were watching their favorite show.

Helga's blue eyes had never been bigger when she heard those unfamiliar words. Initially, she had no idea how to react. She had heard those words before, but only from her sister and not in such a serious tone. A part of her was going into self-defense mode. She wanted to run away and never have to deal with such strong feelings again. But the honesty and love in Arnold's eyes made her stay. And it made her grin brightly.

"I love you too."

"Yes!" the girls squealed happily and jumped around in ecstasy. Except for Patty who high-fived the boys instead.

"But that doesn't explain how you're here!" Helga bellowed as Arnold grabbed her around her waist.

The boy chuckled as he lifted Helga out of the window. "I realized that my home is where my heart is."

"What does that mean?" Helga asked as her feet landed safely on the ground.

"It means I belong _here_ with _you_." Arnold said and turned around to smile at his parents. "And my dad belongs with his parents."

"And I'll go wherever these two nutcases go." Stella joked. "I've missed this city though. It's weird to be back in civilization. It'll take time to get used to the cold when it becomes winter again."

"But it's spring now!" Helga said happily and put her arms over Arnold's shoulders. "You're really here to stay?"

"Yes, we're moving into Sunset Arms with my grandparents."

"We've been begging them to come home for years!" Phil said as he waved from inside the Packard. "Thanks for changing their mind, Helga!"

"You're welcome!" Helga shouted back. "What's the plan now though? You still want to be a teacher?"

Arnold nodded. "I know that it means I have to go to school—"

"And several years back than us." Helga added.

"But I want to do this."

"And Arnold's a smart kid, he'll catch up to us soon." Gerald said from inside the window before he jumped out.

"Gerald!" Arnold bellowed happily and went to hug him with one arm while the other hand still held onto Helga.

Arnold hugged all of his new friends one at a time, but he kept holding Helga's hand as he did so. He had missed her too much; he was not letting go until it became a bother. And he had a feeling it never would. Helga followed him obediently while he hugged the others, but she looked awkwardly at Stella and Miles who were chuckling quietly.

"Helga, would you like to join us for dinner?" Phil asked as he and Gertie approached them.

"Actually, I—" Helga answered just before she heard a honk nearby. She smiled and lifted her free arm to wave at the white mustang.

Arnold looked at it curiously. "Is that your dad's car?"

Helga nodded. "Yeah, he's taking us all out for an early dinner." She answered and then gave Arnold a suspicious look. "When I came home, he said he was out of his mind with worry… Something about me writing him a letter saying I didn't want to see them anymore unless they started caring about me."

Arnold scratched his head innocently. "How about that."

" _How about that_." Helga repeated in a mockingly sweet voice before she slapped the back of his head gently. "You wrote that letter, didn't you?"

"I—I just didn't want to leave you the way I met you… I know you wanted a better relationship with your family so I… I did something out of line. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Helga said and smiled as she saw her family getting out of the car. "It's actually been… pretty nice. They're all making an effort, including myself."

Arnold smiled brightly at that. "That makes me so happy, Helga."

"Me too…" the girl said before she smiled herself. "How about you guys join us for dinner instead? I think my dad would just _love_ to pay the check for all of us."

"Helga!" Stella scolded, but she couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Bob Pataki inviting them to dinner.

"Are you coming, girl?" Bob said with a small smile on his face.

"Of course. I was just wondering if Arnold and his family could join us?" Helga asked innocently.

"Of course, baby sister! The more the merrier, right, daddy?" Olga asked Bob and wrapped her arms around his arm.

Bob got a tense look in his eyes, but after looking at Helga, he nodded meekly. "Of course." He answered, doing his best to give a smile.

Helga couldn't help but grin at that. "Thank you, Bob." She said kindly as she approached him.

Bob looked at his youngest daughter for a moment before he lifted his hand. There was a tense silence while he put his hand on her head and caressed it awkwardly. He patted it twice after that before he turned around and headed towards the car again.

Helga turned to look at the others while she soothed her scalp. "He needs to be gentler… but he's trying."

"That was _the_ most awkward pat I've ever seen." Gerald said before he patted Phoebe's head. "And pats on the head are always kinda awkward."

Phoebe giggled giddily, ignoring her classmates' teasing looks.

"Well, what are we waiting for, soldiers? Off to the war!" Gertie said before she grabbed both Phil, Miles and Stella and pulled them with her towards the car.

The blonde teenagers waved at the others before following them, hand-in-hand. The future was uncertain and trying times were ahead. But Arnold had never been happier to feel uncertain about his future and Helga had never felt more safe and loved in her life. Where one was weak the other was strong. They were a match made in heaven.

 **The end**

* * *

 **Author's 2** **nd** **note: And that's that! I hope the ending was somewhat satisfying even though the entire chapter is so much shorter than you're used to -.- I hope that when I get the first chapter up for my next story will make up for it so stay tuned if you still want to read my stories! X'D**


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